The Flux Corps: The First ArcRevised
by Cptdave
Summary: Beings from another Dimension are invading Earth, and only a handful can stop them. Enter the Flux Corps! An elite merc company gathered from around the multiverse. But how did they form where are they all from?
1. Prologue

The Flux Corps First Arc: How It Began Prolouge

Disclamer: I don't own anything that deals with anime characters or shows or manga. I do however, own David and Angela and various other minor characters that will haunt the story from time to time. Enjoy and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE(!) don't sue me, I'm poor, married and in the US Army!

It was a quiet morning at a mountain resort north of Tokyo City. The kind of day that this resort was known for. The kind that soothed and healed the soul of any visiting.

Here we zoom into a little cabin that is in the farthest and most remote corner of this resort. At this nice looking cabin we see two vans with tinted windows parked nearby. As we approach the cabin, the door explodes outward and five women came running out yelling something.

"This is really starting to piss me off!" said a tall woman with dark hair.

"I say we blast whoever it is thats doing this Rally!" stated a shorter red head.

A young man in a robe followed slowly out, looking annoyed. "I don't think this one is evil Ranko, so blasting isn't a good idea." he said.

"But its ruining our vacation David!" an extremely short blonde haired woman whined.

"May is right David, this is getting to be too much!" said an exotic looking blonde haired woman.

"I say I shove a Dragon Slave up its ass!" said a short, young looking red head.

"Dee, Lina, that just isn't possible. I'm having trouble pinpointing it as is. This is what we'll do. We'll lay a trap with me as the bait, as it seems to be interested in me. Once I give the signal, which you all know what that is, spring the trap to keep whoever it is here. After that we'll question them to our hearts content." David told them.

"I guess that will have to do, but I don't like how exposed that makes you David." Rally said cautiously.

"That is unavoidable Rally. And besides, you all didn't agree to help me because you wanted to be safe, now did you?" David returned.

"We all know that David, we're just uncomfortable with our leader being so exposed with limited support." Ranko replied.

"Well then, let's plan this out so that you're more comfortable with it, and then we'll kick it off tomorrow morning." David said soothingly to them.

The rest of the team reluctantly nodded in agreement before they turned around and slowly entered the cabin to discuss what would happen the next morning.

That morning, before sunrise, the resort was subject to a noise it had never experienced as a company of the Ground Self Defense Force's tanks rolled up the valley twoards that lone cabin. They surrounded it carefully and three men got off of each tank and moved slowly and carefully twoards the cabin. A team lined themselves up next to the front door and stood ready to enter. When the signal came to go, they broke the door down and entered the main room before three breaths were taken. The team of five men came to a stop inside to see David standing there in a pair of boxers facing a young woman who looked scared. From one of the doors they could see five other females sticking there heads out.

The young woman cringed away from the soldiers but didn't actually move away from them. David turned his head and looked at the soldiers.

"Everybody stay right where you are and don't move. Don't make any threatening jestures and we won't shoot you. We won't take any funny business from you Fluxians." the sergeant in charge of the team stated in a loud voice.

David raised an eyebrow at them and shook his head. "Sergeant, I'm going to go get dressed." he said to them as he turned to face the rest of his team. "Girls if you would be so kind as to care for our unexpected guests please while I go get dressed into some decent clothes."

"Of course Sir, it shall be as you command." Ranko quipped as she threw him a jaunty salute, causing him to chuckle as he left the room.

The sergeant looked confusedly at the whole situation while the team went on automatic and gave the cabin a once over while the girls came out of their room and into the main one. Once the rest of the SDF men came back into the main room one of them gave the sergeant the 'all is clear here' signal. Suddenly the sergeant's radio came alive.

"Stalker 3 this is Blackcat 6, what is your status?" A man said.

"Blackcat 6 this is Stalker 3, building is secure. There are six females and one male inside. The male is getting dressed right now, suggest that you and Unicorn 6 come to question the detainees." he said over the radio.

"Who are you talking to sergeant?" Lina asked as she came up to him.

"I can't tell you that young lady." he replied as he looked down at her.

"Well whether you can or not, please come sit down and relax." she said as she grabbed his left hand and started to lead him to one of the many couches and chairs that scattered this room.

"What are you doing? We shouldn't be sitting." the sergeant said as Lina sat him down on a couch.

"Our boss said to make you feel at home, so we are. Please sit and relax, we really have everything under control." May replied sweetly as she got her soldier to sit down with a light smile on his face.

"You may sit as well young lady, but no talking yet." Lina said to the sixth woman who followed Lina's orders and sat down on the couch.

"I'll go get the snacks and be right back." Ranko said as she started for the kitchen. She stopped suddenly and looked back at the group. "Oh before I forget, Lina, would you please fix the door, and sergeant, how many more should I expect to arrive for this meeting?" She asked.

Lina nodded while the sergeant looked confused. "About seven to ten more ma'am." He said in a stunned voice.

Ranko nodded in thanks before going into the kitchen, while Lina went to the door and started to chant in an obscure language. The soldiers sprang up and pointed their rifles at her as the door was repaired as if new. Before they could pull a trigger, they heard a click of a hammer being pulled back.

"I would suggest, gentlemen, that you lower your rifles and relax. Lina is not a Fluxian, just a normal human who can use magic." Rally said as she smiled over the sights of her pistol.

"Please, I will not harm any of you unless you hurt myself or any of my friends." Lina replied sweetly.

The weapons were slowly lowered and the soldiers sat back down again though they were obviously still wary. Not long after that, Ranko came back out of the kitchen carrying two trays and balancing a third one on her head. She had just set them down when there was a knock on the door.

"Oh my we have more guests!" Ranko exclaimed, "May if you would be a dear and go get the door please?" She asked.

"Of course Ranko." May said as she got up from where she was talking with one of the soldiers, to answer the door. She opened it to reveal even more soldiers, these of much higher rank, led by a Lieutenant Colonel. "Please, do come in sirs, you've been expected." May said politely as she stepped aside to let them in.

Dee stood up as they entered the room to greet them. "Good morning gentlemen. If you would please sit and relax, we have morning tea and a light snack prepared for you while our Captain is getting ready." She said kindly to them.

As the men sat down, one of the majors leaned forward to look at all the women. "And just who are you people? What are you doing in an area that we detected Fluxian activity?" He asked sharply.

Ranko snorted while Lina covered her mouth as she coughed. Rally sighed as she turned to face the major.

"Who we are is for our Captain to say, as to why we are here, that is simple. We're here on vacation and we haven't seen or heard of any Fluxian activity in this region that was a problem." She said.

"Who is your Captain? If he is military, why didn't we know that he was in this area? What does he do? What do you do?" He asked in a dangerous sounding voice.

"Aren't we a pompous ass!" May excliamed, causing several chuckles from the assembled team. "There is only one way I deal with pompous asses." She said as she pulled out a small hand grenade.

All the military men sat there stunned before rifles started to come up as the other women stopped laughing to stare at May like she was insane.

Suddenly they all heard a man talk. "Minne, put the concussion grenade away please. And you men, get those rifles pointed away from my people right now or you won't be living much longer." David said as he walked into the room.

Everybody did as he said as they turned around to look at him. The military men just stared in confusion while Lina whistled appriecatively.

"Looking sharp there Sir." Lina said as she gave him a good, long look up and down.

David came in wearing what could have been an American Army class A uniform, except that it was all black and it had an insignia that nobody but the five of the women understood. The patch on his shoulder looked to be a crossed rifle and saber over the wavering form of a person on a golden shield.

"I suppose that you are the Captain that these young ladies have been talking about?" The Lt. Colonel asked him.

"That would be me Colonel." He said as he took a seat next to the unnamed woman. "Allow me to make formal introductions as we have our tea." David said as he motioned to Ranko.

Ranko nodded and started a formal tea ceremony to serve everyone there. After the traditional first cup of tea, that is had in silence to contemplate what must be said next, David cleared his throat.

"To business then gentlemen. My name is Captain Sanders David, and this is my team." David started. "The tall, dusky looking young woman is my firearms expert, Lieutenant Vincent Rally." Rally nodded in greeting to the officers. "Beside her is our little blonde bombshell and explosives expert, Sargeant First Class Hopkins 'Minnie' May." May waved a greeting, getting a smile from one of the lieutenants there. "Beside her is our supply specialist and blademistress, Master Sargeant Silverleaf Dee." Dee smiled softly at them as their eyes went to the large knife at her hip. "On my left side is our resident magic expert and sorceress, Staff Sargeant Saotome Lina." Lina smirked as flames danced around her playfully, causing the soldiers to shy away from her and watch her carefully. "And our final team member is the other red head. She is our hand to hand expert and my executive officer, Lieutenant Saotome Ranko." Ranko grinned and cracked her knuckles at them.

"Very pleased to meet you all, but who is the young woman on your right hand side?" The colonel asked politely.

"That I don't know yet Sir. We detained her this morning because she is a Fluxian that has been giving us some minor annoyances the last week or so." David replied.

"HA! I was right and so were the instruments Sir! And we beat Them here! All right Captain, you can hand her over to us now, we'll take it from here." The major who spoke earlier said.

"Oh, mister pompous ass is moving into something he shouldn't..." May whispered to Rally as they watched David's expression cloud over while Rally shushed her.

"And just who are you to order me and mine around Major?" David asked coldly.

"I'm Major Yokoshima Maramura, Battalion S-2 and in charge of any Fluxians that we may capture." The major said as he drew himself up to his full height from where he sat.

"Hate to break it to you buddy, but we captured her so she is our prisoner. Guess you guys are just having a run of bad luck today eh? As the Americans say, sucks to be you!" Dee said with a big grin on her face.

"I ought to have you written up and court martialed for that Sergeant, in fact I think I will." Major Yokoshima said in a cold, but satsified voice.

"Wouldn't work at all buddy." Ranko said coldly as she leaned forward slightly.

"If you're not careful Captain, I'll have your whole team drummed out of service." He said to David hotly.

The whole team, but David, started to laugh. May fell to the ground and was rolling around because she was laughing so hard.

"Oh please! Stop! No more jokes!" Dee begged them while all the officers glared at the laughing women.

David shook his head and sighed. "All my lessons on diplomacy just go in one ear and out the other." He said.

"You had better have an explination Captain." The colonel said in a low voice.

The women suddenly stopped laughing and glared at the colonel.

"Oh I do Sir. You see, my team and I aren't military, at least not in the fashion that you might think. We're mercenaries hired by the government to help combat the Fluxian threat. Because of that we can't be drummed out of the Service, and with our record of success, our contract won't be cancelled by your governemnt either." David explained.

"I see, but that doesn't mean that your people can't show some common courtesy to mine." He returned.

May stood up and walked up to the colonel and stared straight into his eyes. "I'll show courtesy when we get some first. First you bust down our door when we had the situation well in hand. Second, you have this ASS of a major grilling innocent people who are forced to work on their vacation and then he tries to bully us into giving up OUR prisoner! You ask for too much, and its all just out of your reach!" She hissed at him. She then stomped back to sit next to Rally

The colonel stared at her in amazement while David chuckled slightly at his befudlement. "Didn't expect that did you colonel? May can be a bit of a surprise. She's quite the explosive one in such a little package." David said as he smiled at May. May smiled back at him and made a boom like sound. The other women chuckled at her while the military men just stared.

"What exactly do you mean you have everything under control?" Major Yokoshima asked sharply.

"That's easy pal." Lina said. "We had already captured this little annoyance when you broke down our door."

Major Yokoshima started to sputter while the other officers continued to glare at them.

"Now see here young lady, we demand that you hand over your prisoner. Only one other unit besides the Self Defense Force is allowed to deal with the Fluxian threat, and they aren't here right now, so just hand her over to the proper authorities before you get in trouble." A different major said calmly.

"If you're talking about the Flux Corps, then you couldn't be more wrong as we're right here." Dee said cheerfully.

"No that's impossible!" Major Yokoshima cried in despair.

"Oh its very possible Major. In fact it's true, the Flux Corps was here for vacation, which this young lady has made us work during and then you ruin it by breaking into here." David replied calmly.

Lina grinned at them. "So why don't you boys just run along now and we'll take care of it as usual." She said as she made a shooing away jesture at them.

Major Yokoshima growled at them as all the military men stood up. "We won't forget this incident Captain Sanders." He snarled at David.

"I assure you Major, neither will we." David replied as they left the cabin, and then the resort.

Once they were all gone the team turned as one to look at their prisoner. She sat there shaking in fear as they took her in.

"Now then, what are we going to do with you young lady?" Daivd asked softly as he gazed softly at her.

"I say we blast her." Lina voted.

"Only after I get a chance to practice a new technique on her." Ranko said with an evil grin.

"I've been wanting to test a new grenade design of mine." May commented.

"I could always use more target practice." Rally mused.

Dee just grinned as she drew her knife out and started to toy with it by tossing it back and forth between her hand. The woman started to shake even harder as tears started to fall from her eyes and a sobs wracked her body.

"Please sob don't kill me sobsob I beg you." She begged as her crying got worse at the thought that she was about to die in horrible and nasty ways as she remembered all the terrible things that the Flux Corps was said to do to any of the Empire's citizens if they were able to get their hands on them.

"We won't harm you in any way young lady. I at least, could tell that what you were doing were nothing more than harmless pranks." David said to her soothingly as he placed a hand lightly on her shoulder. The young woman started to slowly stop crying as David just sat next to her and gave her silent support that all would be well. As she started to relax, she looked up at David with a hopeful expression as he continued to talk. "Unfortunately for you, you are still our prisoner, which means we just can't let you go, we do have a reputation to maintain."

Her expression became very startled as she stared at him. "What are you going to do to me then?" She asked fearfully as all those stories came back to the fore of her mind.

"Well that's easy. We're going to ask you a bunch of different questions, then we'll give you a choice. After that, we'll have to see." David answered.

"You're being way to easy on her David-kun." Ranko said to him. The rest of the team nodded in agreement.

"Trust me Ranko, there is something about her. She seems really familiar to me for some reason. I think that she might be the last one that we were told about a while back." David replied easily.

"The sixth! No, I don't believe it!" Lina exclaimed.

Ranko stared hard at David before she suddenly stood and walked up to their prisoner. The woman cringed away from her but didn't evade the hand that grasped her shoulder lightly, but very firmly. Both Ranko's and the prisoner's eyes got very distant for a few minutes before they once again focused on each other. Ranko smiled lightly at her, earning a tremulous smile in return, and patted her on her shoulder before she turned around.

"I trust her now. We have a deep understanding of one another, she is trustworthy. In fact she didn't hide anything from me when we did the whole mind-mind thing that you taught me David. Although something that I did see in her mind gives me the idea that we should let her ask one question of her own before we start to grill her with ours." Ranko said to the group.

The other women nodded in agreement, trusting Ranko's instincts and abilities. David smiled at her then turned to the young woman.

The woman looked at Ranko briefly before she faced David, her expression firmed by resolve. "Are you Grand Duke Davidanathos Michaelamos Sandersothamar, the Concious of the Emperor, and the pen pal, and beloved of one Angelanosa Mariatanath Camposanto?" She asked in the Fluxian language.

Most of the team looked at her funnily, as they couldn't understand her. David, on the other hand, did and stared at her in shock for a few seconds.

"I was that man, but now I'm just David Michael Sanders my dear." He replied in the same tongue after he mentally shook himself. "Why did you ask me that question?" He asked in return.

"It's been a long time since you've written me. Why were you exiled? I've missed you so much these last few years." she replied.

"Angela! It has been a long time hasn't it? I was exiled because of that question that I asked you. The one about Earth and if we should attack them or not." He said to her.

"What the hell!" Rally exclaimed suddenly, cutting off what might have been said next by the engrossed couple.

"David how do you know what she is saying?" Dee asked sharply as she glared at them both suspiciously.

"Yeah, I didn't detect any magic being used." Lina added.

"Nor Ki." Added Ranko right after her.

"You'd almost think that he is a Fluxian then, wouldn't you?" May mused aloud.

"Then you'd be thinking correctly May." David said softly to her as he cringed internally from what he feared was about to happen.

"You mean we've been working for the enemy the entire time!" Rally yelled angrily.

Dee leaned over and hit Rally in the back of the head. "Use your brain Rally! If he wasn't a good guy, we would have been killed years ago." She hissed at Rally.

"Its a long story as to why I was exiled, but I guess I could tell it now." David mused as he sighed with relief inside that the fatal blow had been avoided.

"While you're at it David, could you tell us what you've been doing since your exile." Angela asks in her native tongue.

"Yeah, I haven't heard anything about that one yet, because May and I were the last ones to join!" Rally put in.

"None of us have heard that story yet, and I was the first one to join him." Ranko said with a slight growl at him.

David held up his hands in surrender. "All right, I'll tell the whole story, but its going to take a couple of days to tell at least." He warned.

"We've got plenty of time My Lord." Dee said formally.

"We really should wait for the rest of the team to get here." Ranko said cautiously. "That way he doesn't have to repeat anything."

Just as the words were out of her mouth there was a knock on their door. It opened to reveal three more men and two women. All were wearing black from head to toe. One of the men was young and had his black hair tied back in a pigtail, his grey-blue eyes dancing with mirth. Next to him stood a shorter woman with brown hair done in a short pageboy style, her brown eyes taking in everything at once and anyalyzing it for threat levels. The second man was older than David appeared to be with his brown hair showing a couple of grey hairs. His expression one of compassion and patience. Next to him stood a beautiful young woman with long brown hair and brown eyes. Her expression showing nothing but peace and calmness. The last man walked in, his dark hair just a shade lighter than black and his eyes shaded by a hat that he wore, his expression one of mischeavousness. They all walked in together and took seats near everyone else.

"So what have we missed boss?" The young man asked as he pulled him companion into his lap.

"Nothing much Ranma. You, Nabiki, Kasumi, Tofu and Xellos were just in time to hear David's history as well as a retelling of how our little group got together." Ranko answered for David.

"Well seeing as we're all here now, why don't you get started David-kun?" Nabiki asked. "I'm very interested in hearing this one."

"All right, this history began, for me at least, thirteen years ago." He started.

TBC...

AN: Well what do you think so far? Comments and the like are always welcome! you can send them to Hope it wasn't that evil and ending, I'm trying to curb my evilness in this one a smidge. Started this once I hit Iraqi soil, and its just been rolling ever since, hopefully I'll have Ch.1 up soon for ya'll. Also if ya'll wanna lay a guess as to who Dee is, go ahead, I'm sure someone could figure it out, I'll post the answers that I get on the next few chapters until I finally tell you who she really is. Well this is CptDave3 signing off for now. Good reading to all, and may the gods have mercy upon the souls of thine enemies. 


	2. Ch1: Of Prophecies and ExilesRevised

The Flux Corps First Arc: How It Began Chapter 1: Prophecies and Exiles

Disclamer: I don't own anything that deals with anime characters or shows or manga. I do however, own David and Angela and various other minor characters that will haunt the story from time to time. Enjoy and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE(!) don't sue me, I'm poor, married and in the US Army!

Apology: Sorry for taking so long to get this chapter out everyone. But I've been rather busy here in Iraq of late. Combat operations from hell trying to keep these bloody terrorists from killing everyone around here. Most of my limited spare time in the last month or so has been spent keeping in contact with my lovely wife and letting her know that I'm still alive and well. Only recently have I been able to do the writing that I've been meaning to do. Well I hope that you enjoy this little chapter of mine and hopefully you won't have to wait so long to see chapter two makes a sign of the cross and prays real quick Well enjoy and until next time take care!

A younger David stood before the gates of a great castle, surrounded by a large city. Beside him, on a horse, rode a young girl of around fifteen winters. She looked very similar to David, and could have been his daughter, except that she was too old. Around the two were several guards wearing armor and tunics with black and green with crossed katanas on the chest. Everyone in the party was dusty from traveling.

"Your third visit to the capital my dear sister. I hope that your prince appriciates all the trouble that it is to bring you here." David said to the young girl with a light grin.

"I'm sure that my love will properly reward you big brother, but only after I get cleaned up." She replied loftily.

The guards around them chuckled as David knocked on the gate while shaking his head. A smaller door opened and a guard, wearing the Emperor's red/white, came out of the castle.

"Who requests entry to the Emperor's abode?" He asked while eyeing the party at his gate, not recognizing any of them.

David gave him the 'evil eye' for not recognizing him, before he remembered how dirty he was and relaxed his glare before answering. "The Concious of the Emperor and his sister ask for permission to enter." David said.

The guard's eyes widened slightly as he finally recognized the black/green of the other men's tunics as well as the man at their head. He then stepped back through the small door and everyone outside heard a great groaning sound as the huge gates slowly opened. As they entered into the tunnel that was beyond, the gate guard bowed formally to them.

"Welcome back Your Grace. It is good to see you again." He said a little cheerfully.

"Thank you Robert. You should have recognized us earlier than that, but I forgive you. I would love to stay and chat with you, but I've got to get the little one cleaned up so that the Prince doesn't become disgusted." David said with a grin as his sister exclaimed in mock anger.

"Then I shant hold you up any longer Your Grace." Robert said as he waved them through.

David nodded his thanks as they went through the short tunnel into the castle courtyard. As they entered the courtyard, the young girl gasped as she took in the view of the ancient and elegant magnificence of the castle that lay before her eyes.

"It never ceases to amaze me that our ancestors built something this big and beautiful that has lasted so long." She said quietly and respectfully. David nodded in agreement as he took the reigns of her horse and led the group forward.

Instead of going for the main entrance at the front of the castle proper, they went around the a side enterance where an older guard in David's colors stood. As they approached, the guard came to attention and saluted with his fist over his heart. David returned the salute as they came closer.

"A pleasure to see you again Your Grace." He said in greeting.

David walked up to him and clasped his forearm in greeting. "It's always good to you see you my friend." He replied.

"Do you want me to see to things as usual?" The older man asked David as he raised an eyebrow.

"Please do while we bathe." David answered as he helped his sister down off the horse, which one of the guards that came with them took.

"Of course Young Master. I'll bring the report to you later tonight then, most likely after your dinner is finished." The guard said to him as the one with the horse headed to the stables.

David nodded his thanks as the young family went inside the castle. They walked quietly up a set of stairs, passing a few servants and maids on their way to their quarters. When they arrived, David's sister went straight to the baths, while David went to get clean clothes for the both of them. He opened the closet to look at the dresses that hung there that belonged to his sister and chose one that he knew the prince would like to see on her. After that he turned and opened another closet that held his clothes. He stood there thinking for a while about what to choose before he grabbed a set of simple court clothes that would have been fitting for a count to wear, but not a grand duke that he was. Once he had the clothes that he needed, he left the changing room and headed for the baths himself. He walked into the strip down room and took off his clothes and grabbed a towel before he entered the bath, just as his sister was getting into it. She turned her head to see her brother and almost screamed in shock and anger.

"What are you doing in here! Get out!" She yelled at him while she glared at him.

"Sara, I raised you, I changed your diapers. You have no reason to be ashamed. Besides I want to make sure that your hair is properly washed, as well as your back, and you know its easier to do that if someone else does it for you." He calmly replied.

Sara continued to glare at her brother for a few seconds before she sniffed at him and settled down into the tub, knowing that there was no way she could change his mind, and that it would be nice to have someone else wash her hair for her. David quickly washed his body off before he climbed into the tub behind his sister. He gently moved her hair aside and started to wash her back, giving her a massage as well.

"Ohh, that feels so good brother." She moaned softly.

"Glad you like it. Now its time to wash your hair." He said as he pulled her hair back over and started to wash it tenderly. When it was finished and rinsed, David climbed out and dried off.

"When you're ready Sara, I'll comb and put your hair up for you." He said softly to her.

She looked upat her brother and smiled at him. "Yes Father." She said meekly, causing him to smile softly at her as he left the baths.

A few minutes later, after David had dressed, his sister came out wearing only a towel and sat on a stool that was in front of the chair that David was sitting in.

"Why did the Emperor summon us both?" She asked him as she sat down in front of him.

"I don't know, but it might have something to do with that new portal that was discovered last month." He answered as he started to comb her hair.

"Do you think that whatever is on the other side will be friendly?" She asked with a concerned tone.

"We can only hope so Little one, we can only hope so." He told her.

Sara giggled at his reply as she looked over her shoulder at him. "You haven't called me that in years! Does that mean that I can call you Daddy again?" She said between giggles.

"Yes it does Sara. Even though we both know how much it will confuse people." He replied with a smile.

Suddenly the door burst open and a young man wearing extremely fine clothes came into the room.

"Sara! Why didn't you come see me when you got here? Why weren't the two of you announced?" He asked with a worried expression.

Sara 'eeked' and tried to hide behind her better clad brother as he looked over his shoulder at the intruder to their room.

"Your Majesty, it is considered polite to knock before entering someone's bed chamber, in case they aren't fully dressed yet." David said with a tone of mild reprimand.

The young man blushed at the mild scolding, before appologizing, and turned around to leave. "I'll just wait out here then, sorry." He mumbled.

"I'll be ready in just a few minutes William love, just be patient." Sara said to him as he left the room.

Once the door was shut, David shook his head. "I know that his mother taught him better. I guess he was just anxious to see his love." David mused aloud as he continued to brush Sara's hair. Sara blushed at the comment but silently agreed with her brother.

A few minutes later, David and Sara stepped out of their room. The young prince was standing there, next to a couple of the Emperor's guards, waiting. When they walked out, his jaw almost hit the ground as he stared at Sara in amazement.

"Your Majesty, your jaw is on the ground." One of the guards whispered loudly, causing the other three people there to chuckle as the Prince's mouth snapped shut.

"A thousand pardons for staring My Lady." He said as he bowed to her. "But your beauty shocked me to speechlessness."

Sara blushed at his compliment as she made a graceful curtsie. "Tis all right Your Majesty. I am pleased and humbled that you find me pleasing to look upon." She replied.

Prince William just smiled and looked at them both. "My Father has something to talk to you both about, what it is, I don't know, he didn't tell me." He told them.

"Well then, we can't keep His Excellency waiting, now can we?" David said with a smirk as he led the way down the hall.

As they walked through the halls of the great castle, the young couple following David talked quietly between themselves, David smiled as he heard them.

'Ah to be young and in love.' He thought. 'I wish I could meet Lady Camposanto in person so I can truely court her.' His smile became wistful at that thought as they came to a set of large metal doors with intricate rune work on them.

The guards standing there opened the doors and whispered to a young man standing just inside.

"His Grace, Grand Duke Davidanathos Michealamos Sandersothamar of Abu Ghuraib, Concious of the Emperor, and his Lady sister!" The young man announced as the trio stepped inside the audience chamber where the throne sat.

Inside the throne room were several nobles who turned at the herald's call. On the throne sat a man who was old enough to be David's father. The three of them slowly walked twoards the throne. When they got close enough, David and Sara bowed to their Emperor, while William nodded politely to his father.

"Long life and happiness to our glorious Emperor." David said as he rose from his bow. "We have come as you commanded of us Your Excellency, what is it that you wish us to do?"

"We thank you for answering our summons Your Grace. We wish for you to be here when the reports about the newly discovered portals arrive so that you can advise Us as to a good course of action." The Emperor said to them.

"Of course Your Excellency, it shall be as you command." David said as he bowed again.

"Until those reports are in consider this your home Your Grace. You are welcome to do as you please while you and your sister are guests in Our house." The Emperor said with a light smile on his face.

"Many thanks for your kind hospitality my Emperor. With your permission, can we withdraw?" David asked politely.

"You may Your Grace, and please enjoy your time here." He answered before turning to whisper something to a man standing next to the throne.

The three turned around and slowly walked out of the throne room. Once outside, Sara stopped and turned to face her older brother.

"Father, do I have permission to walk the gardens with his Highness?" She asked with a slightly pleading tone.

David looked from her to the prince and then back. "As long as you return in time for dinner little one. You're welcome to join us if you wish Your Majesty." David said.

"Thank you Your Grace, I do believe that I will be joining you for dinner." William replied politely as they young couple left to walk through the gardens of the castle.

David smiled wistfully as he turned to walk another direction. He walked slowly as he let his mind drift aimlessly. As he rounded a corner, he colided with someone. Instincts took over and he caught the person before they could fall. His mind reinserted itself into the present to discover that he was holding onto a beautiful woman.

"My humble apologies dear lady, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going." He said as he slowly let go of her.

"No apologies are necessary My Lord, I wasn't watchig where I was going either." She replied graciously.

David stepped back to get a good look at her. She wore a beautiful court gown that fit her perfectly, showing that there was a woman underneath it. As his gaze traveled up to meet her eyes, he could see that she just finished doing the same to him.

"You seem extremly familiar to me for some reason, might I have the pleasure of knowing your name My Lady?" David politely asked.

"Of course My Lord. I am Countess Angelanosa Mariathanath Camposanto." She answered politely with a slight curtsy.

David's eyes lite up with pleasure at meeting the woman whom he had fallen in love with through their letters to each other. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person, instead of through a letter My Lady." He said to her softly.

Angelanosa looked at him in confusion before her eyes widened in surprise. "Grand Duke Davidanathos? Is that really you?" She asked breathlessly.

"Indeed it is. What are the chances of us running into each other like this my dear?" David replied.

"I don't know. I had a dream last night that said I would meet someone very important to me today, but it didn't say who or how important. Now I know who and how important that person is, as its you." She said with a slight smile on her face.

"Oh? Would you like to take a walk in the gardens with me Angelanosa? There is much to talk about, not the leasat of which is what we discussed during our last letters to each other. I look forward to hopefully gaining your father's favor so that we can go through with those plans." David said to her softly.

"Let's go talk to my father first, I do need his permission to go with you still. You can call me Angela you know my love." She said as she held out a hand for him to take.

"Of course my dear, but only if you call me David." He replied as they walked off twoards the quarters of Angela's family.

"My Father is going to be so surprised that I finally met the man with whom I had fallen in love with. He never could understand how I fell in love with you just through your letters." She said to him quietly as they walked.

"That did confuse me for a time until you explained it in one of your letters and I found that the reason you gave was the same reason as to how I had fallen in love with you too. Its amazing how fate works doesn't it my dear?" David replied.

"It is indeed David. I just hope that my mother approves of you. She can be very picky sometimes." Angela said to him.

"I'm sure that once your mother meets me, she'll just love me and will be falling over herself to give her approval." David said with a flair and a twinkle in his eye.

Angela swatted him in the shoulder and glared at him. "Hush. My mother isn't like that and you know it. I'm worried about it David. She didn't like the fact that you and I have been penpals for so long. It bothers her that I have such a contact with a man. I don't know what she is planning, but I don't like what it could mean for you and me." Angela said worriedly.

"Don't you worry none about it my dear. I'm not about to let anyone short of the Emperor Himself get between you and me now that we're together." David told her fiercely.

Anglea nodded at what he had said, but her expression was stilled worried as they continued to walk in silence. After walking for a few more minutes they arrived at a door. Angela drew herself together as they approached the guard that stood next the door. When they stood before the door the guard looked them over and smiled at Angela.

"Hello My Lady. Did you enjoy your walk?" He asked her politely.

"Yes I did Daniel. Is my Father inside right now?" She asked.

"Yes he is My Lady. May I ask who this young man is?" He replied.

"This is the man that I've been writing letters to for the last ten years Daniel." Angela said as she pulled David up next to her. "The one that I keep telling you about, you know, the one that I've fallen in love with."

Daniel looked David up and down, then looked at how happy Angela seemed to be with how close the two of them were. "Well then, I have to say that I approve of your choice My Lady. He seems to be strong young man who knows how to wield a sword to defend you if need be." He said to Angela as he looked David in the eye.

"I thank you for your approval Daniel. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Grand Duke Davidanathos Michealamos Sandersothamar of Abu Ghuraib, and yes I do know how to use a sword to defend myself or Angela should the need arise and my magic fails me." David said with a smile on his face.

Daniel's expression fell to one of shock for a second before he recovered and schooled his expression to be blank. "My apologies Your Grace. I should have recognized you as soon as you came up. I didn't mean to insult you with my comments Your Grace."

"Thats alright Daniel. No need to be so formal, I'm not insulted at all. I'm glad to see that Angela has people around her that care about her so much as to remark about the men she is with in front of them. Keep up the work and please look after her for me when I'm not with her. She means a lot to me and I would be most distressed if something were to happen to her before I was able to marry her." David said with a big smile.

Angela gasped while Daniel looked stunned again before grinning at David and nodded at him. "Of course Your Grace, I'll see to it that Lady Angela stays healthy and whole until you marry her and take care of her yourself." He said with a grin of his own.

"Would you two not talk about me like I'm not here! And what is this about marriage?" Angela asked as she turned David to face her as she glared at him.

"Well I was planning on asking you in a better fashion, but it just kinda came out. I meant what I said though. I love you very much Angelanosa, and would consider it an honor and privalege if you consented to being my wife and companion." David said calmly to her.

Angela sighed as she looked him in the eye. "Of course I'll marry, I just wish you would have asked me in a different way. How am I going to explain this to Father if Daniel talks about this?" She asked.

"I won't say anything about it My Lady. You have my word on that." Daniel said suddenly.

"And after I talk to your father about it, I'll propose to you in a much better way love, I promise you that." David added.

Angela sighed in defeat and nodded to them. "All right, I believe you both. Well lets go talk to my Father then." She said to David as she opened the door to her family's appartments.

As they entered they heard someone moving from one of the other rooms.

"Daughter is that you?" A man asked as he started to come into the entry room from the one beyond it.

"Yes it is Father. I would like you to meet the one whom I have been writing so many letters to these last ten years." She said as she pulled David forward slightly.

"Greetings My Lord. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. Your daughter has said so much about you in her letters." David said to him as he bowed to the older man.

"Its good to meet the man that has my daughter so smitten. May I have the pleasure of knowing your name and position please. While I'm happy that she has found someone who she can talk to and get along with, it wouldn't be prudent for her to associate with someone who isn't a noble, I hope you understand that." He said to David softly.

"Of course I understand My Lord. I am Grand Duke Davidanathos Michealamos Sandersothamar of Abu Ghuraib." David replied with a formal bow to Angela's father.

"A thousand pardons Your Grace. I didn't mean to insult you by my words." He said as he bowed even lower to David.

"No insult was taken, and please don't bow to me. I'm not like other high nobles, I don't stand on ceremony, nor am I full of myself because of my position. If you must call me anything of rank, just My Lord will do." David said as he waved the appology aside.

"Father, David is right. He's not like the others. He's honest and tries his hardest to support his people. I've heard the stories about what happens in Abu Ghuraib. There isn't a happier realm in the Empire right now. The people trust and love their Duke." Angela said in defense of her love.

Count Camposanto rose from his bow to look at the two younger lovers. "How did you to meet here?" He asked in a confused tone.

"We literally ran into each other in the hallways My Lord." David replied with a half-smile.

"Father, do I have permission to go on a walk through the gardens with David?" Angela asked.

"And then with your permission My Lord, I would like to invite her to dinner at my appartment with my younger sister and a friend of the family." David added.

"Most certainly she cannot!" A shrill woman's voice said as a short blonde haired woman stepped into the room from deeper inside the appartment.

Angela let out a small groan that only David could hear, while David looked at the woman in amazement. Count Caposanto just turned to look at her, his expression blank.

"What is the problem with her going with him, my wife? They love each other, that much I can see by how they are standing next to each other. Angelanosa is happy with him, so what is wrong with that?" He asked her calmly.

"What is wrong with that! I'll tell you what's wrong with it. He's a traitor to all nobles! That's why its wrong! He lets his peseants run around and do whatever they want! There is no law in Abu Ghuraib at all! He's too young to hold the rank he has also! He walks around wearing clothes below his station! He walks amoung the commoners and even gets his hands dirty by doing the same work as them! He's a disgrace and should be stripped of his rank and house!" She screeched at them all.

David stiffened for a second as rage coursed through him. He slowly drew a calming breath as Angela put a hand on his arm to hopefully still him from doing something he might regret. Count Camposanto turned back around, his expression pained as he looked at the couple.

"Is what my wife saying true Your Grace?" He asked slowly.

"If you mean, do I often travel my lands wearing clothes that most traveling commoners wear, and assist others who are having trouble from time to time on their lands, then yes I do. I also will fight alongside any of my soldiers. I've plowed a few fields, harvested from the same. I've fixed wagons, shod horses, even made my own blade that I carry. In my opinion a true leader shouldn't tell anyone to do anything that he or she isn't willing to do themselves. My people know that I am their ruler, and that what I say is law, but I have discovered that they follow me more willingly because I know what its like to do the things that they do on a daily basis. My lands population and wealth has actually increased since I became the Duke. My Father, gods rest his soul, was a good man, and a wonderful leader, one my people will praise for a long time. But my people tell me that I'm twice the leader that he was because I've taken the time to understand my people, instead of just ruling from my castle." David answered confidently.

"See he admits it! He's a traitor to his own kind! None of our family should associate with him at all! Angelanosa I demand that you cease to see him and I don't want to see you writing anymore letters to him!" Lady Camposanto exclaimed.

Angela gasped at what her mother said and shook with anger and tears at the thought that she was to never see the man she loved ever again. David, however, looked the Countess in the eye with a glare and growled at her.

"How dare you!" He snarled. "How dare you hurt your daughter like that. We love each other and you would dare destroy her happiness! If it weren't for the fact that I don't want to start a blood feud with your family, as well as upsetting Angela, I'd kill you right where you stand!"

The Countess to a couple of steps back, fear shining in her eyes, as her husband stepped between the two.

"Your Grace, please calm down. I'm sure there is someway that we can discuss this without bloodshed." He said soothingly.

Angela was shaking as she glared at her mother, while David took a couple of calming breaths and slowly moved his hand from the hilt of his sword, where it had strayed when he started talking.

"How could you mother! I love him. Do you want me to be unhappy for the rest of my life! You hate me, is that it!" Angela screamed at her mother as tears started to fall from her eyes. She then turned away from her mother and buried her face in David's chest as she started to sob.

Both Count Camposanto and David sighed at this and David wrapped his arms around her and started to comfort her while the Count turned around to glare at his wife.

"I'm disappointed in you wife. Your daughter was so happy when she walked in with His Grace, and now you have brought her to tears because of your prejudices." He said coldly before he turned around, shock evident on his wife's face, to look at the young couple. "Your Grace, you not only have my permission to take my daughter out for a walk and then dinner, but I understand what it is you really want to ask and you have my blessings and persmission to seek her hand in marriage if that is your wish." He said with a sigh before he turned around and grabbed his wife's arm. "Come woman, there is much we need to talk about tonight. You will understand what has happened and will accept it as how its going to be by the end of this night." He said to her softly as they left the two in the entry way.

David and Angela stood there stunned for a few minutes after the older couple had left. Eventually Angela looked up at David with a bemused expression.

"Did my Father just say what I thought he did?" She asked in a quiet voice.

"If you mean, did he just give me permission to court you and evetually wed you, then yes he did." David replied in an equally quiet voice.

"Let's get out of here and go for that walk before either of them come back in here to counter what he just said." Angela suggested.

David nodded in agreement and the two of them turned around and left the appartment, hand in hand, for the gardens of the castle. The walk to the gardens was quiet between the two lovers as each contemplated what had just happened in the Camposanto appartments. Angela was stunned that her Father not only supported her, but willingly spoke out against her Mother when she objected to her being with David. David thought about how much trouble the Lady Camposanto was going to cause the two of them because of her feelings. He knew it was going to be tough, for he had met other nobles who thought like she did, and they always caused him nothing but trouble. When they finally reached the gardens, David guided them to one of the stone benches that sat beneath a tree. Once they were seated there, David wrapped one of his arms around Angela's shoulder and pulled her close to him.

"This isn't the last that we'll hear about this from your mother you know." David said to her. "I've run into her kind before, she won't stop until she succeeds in making sure that you will never marry me."

Angela sighed. "I know that love. I just wish that she would support us. I don't understand why she is like this, she wasn't like this when my younger sister found a young knight who fell in love with her and she with him." Angela told him.

"We'll get through this together love, I just know it." David said reasuringly.

"Honey, I foresaw something that scared me. We would be together for a time, but then we would be seperated. After that I can't see anything. After we're seperated I can't foresee anything at all, as if all my powers have disappeared." She said with a cry.

David stared at her in shock, but could find nothing to say to calm her fears. They sat there in silence, enjoying each other's presence for as long as they could be together. Finally as David noticed that the sun was going down, he cleared his throat to get his love's attention.

"We should be going love. Its time that my family gathers for dinner." He said to her.

Together they got up and slowly walked out of the gardens. Hand in hand they slowly walked back to the appartments that David and his family stayed at in the palace. As they drew close to the door, the guard there came to attention and saluted David.

"Welcome back home Your Grace. This is the first time I've seen you bring a Lady home though." He said with a grin on his face.

"Indeed it is Arthur, but this Lady is special. This is the Lady Angelanosa, the woman whom I've been writing so many letters to." David replied.

"Really now? A pleasure to meet you esteemed Lady. I am glad that His Grace has finally been able to meet you. Now maybe he'll stop moping about." Arthur said, his grin getting bigger as David punched him in the shoulder. Angela chuckled at the antics of the two.

"Is my sister and her lover inside?" David asked.

"Indeed they are Your Grace. In fact their waiting to have their dinner on you and your Lady friend." Arthur answered.

Angela suddenly smirked at the two men and held a hand above her head, drawing their attention to her as she started to chant in the arcane tongue. David raised his eyebrow as they both watched as Angela's form changed,shrinking down a few inches and gaining a younger appearance, like that of a girl ten years younger. Her dress also shortened itself to ending just above her knees, looking very sexy as well as sensual.

"So what do you think darling?" Angela asked as she spun around in a circle, her skirt rising up to just barely hide her underwear.

David and Arthur stood gaping at what Angela's spell had wrought. When David's voice returned to him, he suddenly smiled.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking love? Are we going to go in there and act like a pair of lovestruck fools for my sister and her lover for a time?" David asked slyly.

"That was exactly what I was thinking my dear. I've come to know your sense of humor from your letters and I think this would be the perfect joke to play on them." She replied.

"I think that's an excellent idea. Finally I can get some payback for all the times that they've done that to me." David agreed with a big grin.

The two lovers laughed for a second before Angela drapped herself all over David as he opened the door. The two of them walked into the entry room, David laughing gaily while Angela giggled playfully at something.

"But love you promised me that you'd introduce me to your family!" She whined playfully once the door was shut.

"And I will sweetheart, we just have to find them first." David replied as he looked down at her and smiled lightly.

Angela swung around to face him, her arms around his neck as she playfully kissed him. "Really! Oh I love you so much!" She squealed as she kissed him again, just as Sara and William entered the room to see what was going on.

"What in the name of the Goddess is going on here Daddy!" Sara exclaimed as she saw Angela literally hanging off of her older brother.

Angela looked coyly over her shoulder at Sara and raised an eyebrow. "Daddy? You didn't tell me that you had a daughter, lover? And why is she so jealous of me? After all she's got her own man to hold her at night, right?" She asked David with a wicked grin.

David looked down at her and smiled lovingly at her, while Sara exclaimed in outrage. "Well she does honey. But you have to understand that I've been her father figure for most of her life, and for someone to intrude into that relationship, that she doesn't know, it tends to upset one." David answered.

"Hmph. I say she should just live with it. I've waited far to long to be with you, and now that I've got you, I have no intention of letting you go anytime soon." Angela told him bluntly.

"Who the hell are you, you hussy! How dare you hang off of my older brother like that! Don't you know who he is! David do something, make this woman stop!" Sara nearly screamed.

William stood behind looking at the couple in front of them and tried very hard not to laugh at what was going on, as he could sense the magic that had changed Angela's form, and figured out that this was nothing more than an elaberate joke that the two of them were playing on Sara and him.

David sighed as he gently got Angela to let go of him. "All right love, I think thats enough. I think we've made my little sister suffer enough tonight." David said.

Angela sighed and pouted at David and Sara. "Oh poo, and just as I was getting into it too. I haven't had that much fun in years. It's always the young ones who spoil my fun!" She complained as she turned around to face the other couple. As she did, David stepped up closely to her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her lightly.

"What is going on? She's my age right?" Sara asked confusedly.

"Masterful disguise My Lady. I applaud your magical skills. Very good joke." William said as he started to chuckle, unable to contain himself any longer.

The other three looked at him in amazement. David and Angela because of how easily their ruse was pierced by him, and Sara because of what he had just said.

Angela sighed and dropped the illusion, gaining her height back, as well as her dress length. David modified his hold slightly, as she was now his height, and looked over her shoulder at his sister.

"Sara, before you blow your top or something, this is Countess Angelanosa Mariathanath Camposanto, the woman with whom I've been writing letters back and forth for the last ten years. You've read a few of those letters so you know how much we care about each other. Please get to know her as she will eventually be your sister-in-law." David said to his sister calmly.

"My what!" Sara exclaimed in shock and surprise.

"Your sister-in-law. You know, as in married to your dear older brother." William replied calmly.

"This is just a little too quick for me David!" Sara complained.

"That's okay Sara, he surprised me too by mentioning marriage earlier tonight to me." Angela said soothingly.

"Well now that we're all here, and your little joke is done, why don't we all sit down to eat. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm hungry and I'm tired of waiting for my food." William said to them.

"Of course Your Majesty. You're right as usual." David replied.

The four young people entered the dining room and sat down to a meal fit for kings. As it went by, they all talked to each other and got to know one another better. Sara became a little more comfortable around Angela, and Angela came to be comfortable around Sara and Prince William. David smiled through the whole thing, happy that he finally found someone who loved him for himself and that he could love in return. As dinner came to a close, William stood up and apologized for having to leave earlier than intended. Sara pouted but escorted him to their door to give her love a kiss goodnight. Not long after he left, Angela stood up.

"I need to get back as well. Gods know what my parents, mostly my mother, must be thinking right now." She explained.

"Its okay Angela, we both understand. I'll walk you back to your family's appartments." David replied softly.

"It was a pleasure to meet you Sara. I hope to get to know you even better in the future and I look forward to calling you sister." Angela said to Sara with a small smile on her face.

"It was nice meeting you as well Angela. I'm happy that my brother was able to finally meet you so that he would stop wandering around the house bemoaning the fact that he had noone in his life besides me, although I'm still a little upset with that joke that you two played on me, but I'll get back at David for that later." Sara replied with a smile of her own.

Angela waved goodbye to Sara as she and David left. The walk to where Angela was staying at was in silence as the couple just enjoyed the company of their companion. When they arrived, David turned to Angela and wrapped his arms around her.

"Thank you for accepting my invitation tonight my love. I'm glad that Sara got the chance to meet you." He said to her softly.

"Thank you for inviting me sweetheart. I had a lot of fun tonight." She replied as she leaned up and gave David a loving kiss.

Just as they really started to enjoy the kiss, the door behind Angela opened to reveal a young man that was easily a decade younger than them.

"Well looks like I didn't have to search very far, now did I?" He asked himself, shocking the kissing couple.

They turned around to look at him in shock to see him smiling at them both with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"Now then, should I tell our parents about this or not dear sister?" He asked Angela as he looked at them. "No I guess I shouldn't, you two look too happy for me to do that to either of you." He answered himself as his grin grew bigger.

"Thank you little brother. I appriciate what you are doing. In case you hadn't heard yet, this is Grand Duke Davidanathos Michealamos Sandersothamar, the one whom I've been writing to so often." She told him.

"I'm happy for you big sister. You needed to find someone like him. I don't care what Mother says about him, I like him from the letters that you've let me read." He replied.

"As much as I would love to sit here and talk with you and your younger brother my dear, it would be best if I disappeared before your mother discovers that I'm standing at her doorway. Until we meet again my love." David said as he quickly embraced her and gave her a kiss before he let go and started to walk back to his own abode.

The younger Camposanto looked up at the older and sighed. "Mother isn't to happy with the fact that you were with him tonight. Personally I say just forget about what she wants and do what your heart is telling you. But I'm only 15 and what do I know about love and things like that." He said condensendingly.

Angela started to walk into the appartments and touseled her brother's hair as she walked by. The young man exclaimed in annoyance at what she did as he followed her inside.

The weeks passed slowly as they waited for information about the newly discovered portals to arrive. During this time, David and Angela grew closer, meeting secretly with each other. Although her father had given his blessings on the two, Angela's mother had publicly denounced it, stating that she wouldn't allow such a union to occur. She continued to say this even after Prince William had publicly proposed to Sara in front of the court. Not long after Prince William's proposal, the Caposanto family returned to their estate, forcing David and Angela to once again corrospond using letters.

A week after the Caposanto family left the capital, the reports that everyone had been waiting for arrived. Both portals opened up to a new planet, the same planet in fact. One opened up to a place called Arkansas in a country called the United States of America. The other opened up to an island country called Japan. Both places had high amounts of technology and very little magic. The invesitigators discovered that they couldn't be detected as they walked around in their magical invisibility. Upon hearing this the Emperor turned to his advisors.

"Knowing Our belief on technology, what do you suggest as a course of action for Our great empire?" He asked them.

The advisors gathered together to discuss what would be the best option while David stood apart from them and looked worried. After several minutes of discussion the advisors turned as one to face their Emperor. One of them stepped forward and bowed low.

"Your Excellency, it is the advise of Your council that our armies be trained and equipped with the best magics possible and then sent trough the portals to deal with this threat." He said calmly to the Emperor.

The Emperor smiled and nodded. Before he gave his verbal reply, David cleared his throat.

"Excuse me Your Excellency, but please allow me to look into some things before you make your final decision on this. I have a bad feeling about this. Allow me to consult with a Seer about this, and hopefully shed some light on whether that is a good course of action for Your empire or not." David said cautiously.

The Emperor looked thoughtful for a second before nodding to David. "Our Concious is right. This is not something that should be rushed into. Go then, and consult with your seer Your Grace, and bring back the answer that is given to you." He said as he stood up and left the chamber.

Everyone in the throne room bowed to him as he left before the advisors turned as one to David, some of them glaring at him.

The one that first spoke stepped up to David with a sneer on his face. "You may be the Concious and a Grand Duke, but if you tell the Emperor that this is a bad idea then your head will roll. He has already decided to attack this new world even before he asked us for advise. If you tell him the opposite of what we did, you'll be branded as a traitor and be sentenced to death." He snarled at David.

David snorted as he glared at the older man. "I will tell the Emperor whatever the seer tells me. If she tells me that it is a good thing to do this, and that it will better the Empire, then I will tell that to the Emperor. But if she tells me that this will doom the Empire, then I refuse to not say anything at all or lie, for I do not want my homeland to fall into ruin, is that clear?" David said, snarling at all of the advisors. He then swept through them and left the throne room, already composing a letter to Angela in his head.

Two weeks later Angela received a letter from David that chilled her to the bone.

'Dear Angela,  
Love I have grave news for you. News of what lies beyond the portals has reached the Capital. Both portals lead to a new world called Earth. One to a place called Arkansas in a country called the United States of America, the other leads to an island nation called Japan. Both of these places are rich in technology but very poor in magic. The Emperor means to make war with these places as soon as possible. I have been given permission to talk to my seer about this to find out what can be seen about our future should we attack this Earth. Please love, write me as soon as you can about this. It frightenes me greatly that we might go to war against these people. Something about this makes me think that if we do, our beloved empire will fall. I love you with all my heart and soul and wish that I could be with you right now. Please write me soon.

Forever Yours,  
David'

As soon as she had read the letter a vision came to her. It showed tanks rolling across the countryside. Followed by hundreds of trucks with helicopters and planes flying overhead. All around were bodies of dead soldiers wearing the uniform of the Empire. She saw the Capital city in flames with the walls of the great castle itself bearing huge holes. She then saw a man leading a group of men and woman through the castle itself, straight for the throne room. The throne room doors were thrown open and she watched as the leader cut down the Emperor and his son like they were nothing. Then just as suddenly as it came, the vision left her.

Angela quickly grabbed a piece of paper and wrote down what she saw in her vision. Then she added on another line at the end before her farewell.

'This vision reminds me of another prophecy I once heard my love. The line of the True Emperor shall fall, and the False Emperors shall reign for four thousand years, then the last of the False Emperors will start a war that he cannot win, and the last of the line of the True Emperor shall rise up and destroy him and reclaim his throne that was lost so long ago.

Forever Yours,  
Angela'

She quickly sealed the letter with her seal and turned to the man who had stood waiting for her reply. "Please take this with all haste to His Grace. He must see this as soon as possible, and pray to the gods that with what this letter says he will avert certain doom to the empire. Let noone read what is written in here, not even you can read it, do you understand?" She said urgently to him.

"I understand clearly My Lady. I'll see to it that His Grace gets your missive unharmed and unopened. You have my sworn word as an armsmen of His Grace on that." The man said as he bowed low to her before taking the letter and leaving, his traveling cloak swirling around him as he left.

Another two weeks went by as the soldier traveled across the country. When he reached the capital, he went straight to his Duke, ignoring his own fatigue and hunger. He went straight to his Duke's chambers, shoving past guards and servants, causing a big stir in the castle. He went straight past the guard that stood outside of the Grand Duke's chambers, ignoring his protest as he went. As soon as he entered he headed for the dining room, it just now being dinner. He entered to see his Duke eating dinner with his Lady sister and the Crown Prince. The man walked up to David and knelt next to him.

"Your Grace, I bear the Lady's missive. She said it was of the utmost importance and that none were to look at it but you." He said as he pulled out the letter from his tunic and handed it to David. "She looked very afraid when she gave it to me Your Grace."

David looked at the letter with dread as he slowly opened it. As he read it, his expression became darker and darker. When he looked up from it, he saw his sister and the Prince staring at him in concern while the man who brought the letter looked about ready to collapse.

"Soldier, sit here and eat, then off to bed with you, you look ready to collapse where you're kneeling." David said as he helped his soldier to his feet and sat him where he had just sat.

As the soldier ate, David paced back and forth. Sara just sighed as she watched and continued to eat. Prince William watched David pace for a few minutes before he started to get impatient.

"What was in that letter Your Grace?" William asked suddenly.

David stopped and stared at him for a few seconds in wonder before he shook himself as if he just now noticed his guest. "My apologies Your Highness. The letter was nothing but bad news as far as I'm concerned. My seer said that if your father attacks this Earth then the Emprire as we know it will fall. Although I am concerned about the little tacked on prophecy that she put there." David answered slowly.

"What prophecy is that dear brother?" Sara asked softly.

"'The line of the True Emperor shall fall, and the False Emperors shall reign for four thousand years, then the last of the False Emperors will start a war that he cannot win, and the last of the line of the True Emperor shall rise up and destroy him and reclaim his throne that was lost so long ago.' I don't know who is of this line of the true emperor or anything, but if I remember my history correctly, nearly four thousand years ago the current imperial line ousted the old one in a large civil war that nearly destroyed the lands. If this prophecy is true, as well as the one that my seer has given me, then I fear that our Emperor and our beloved Empire will fall into flames, and whoever this man is will change life as we know it." David answered in a scared tone of voice.

"You mean I'm supposed to die?" William asked fearfully.

"I don't know Your Highness, I sure hope that it wasn't talking about you. Maybe it was talking about your younger brother. I guess we won't know until, and unless, it actually happens." David replied. "Right now however, I think I'll wait to tell your father about this until tomorrow during court. And I'm certainly not going to be showing him the letter as I don't want Angela to get into trouble as well."

The other two nodded in agreement. After the soldier finished eating, David called in another soldier to help him to his bed, while the three nobles themselves went to bed as well.

The next day David stood nervously in court while people brought problems forward to their Emperor. As it was winding down for the morning, David suddenly stepped forward to speak.

"Your Excellency, I have recieved a missive from my seer. It bears two prophecies about your decision to attack this Earth realm." David started, drawing everyone's attention to him.

The Emperor leaned forward to look closely at David with a slight smile on his face. "I trust that your seer's prophecies spoke of our impending victory?" He asked.

David sighed and looked down at the floor of the chamber. "I regret to inform Your Excellency that these prophecies do not tell of victory, but instead of defeat. The first prophecy says that if you attack this Earth realm, war machines from this technological place shall roll across our beloved empire, killing all soldiers in their path. Your capital city shall be in flames and the walls of the castle itself shall be breeched. Finally a man, leading many warriors, will enter this throne room and cut you and your heir down like nothing. My seer followed this with another prophecy, this one ancient, older than Your Excellency's sacred line. It says this, 'The line of the True Emperor shall fall, and the False Emperors shall reign for four thousand years, then the last of the False Emperors will start a war that he cannot win, and the last of the line of the True Emperor shall rise up and destroy him and reclaim his throne that was lost so long ago.'. If these prophecies are true Your Excellency, then going to war with this Earth realm will spell nothing but disater for the Empire." David finished as he looked his Emperor in the eye.

The Emperor glared at David, causing him to shiver in fear. "I too consulted with a seer my dear Duke. Do you wish to know what I was told. I was told that one who was dear to me would bring about my doom. A man whom I counted as a son would bring to me tales of destruction and doom. This man, my seer said, would be my downfall if I kept him near. Now We come to hear from you tales of desctruction and doom. words that you say a seer told you in a letter. Maybe you're trying to get me to back out of this impending war to make Us look weak to Our beloved people, so that you could rise up in revolt and throw Us down!" The Emperor declared loudly.

"Your Excellency, I would never do something like that! You've been like a father to me since my parents died so long ago!" David pleaded with him.

"Lies! You are a traitor and seek to bring Us down! Your penalty is death, to be carried out immediately!" The Emperor yelled.

Sara gasped and cried out as the guards came forward to grab David, one of them pulling out his sword.

"Please Your Excellency, don't do this!" Sara begged as she knelt before his throne, sobbing. "If you love me as a daughter, then please, I beg you, don't kill my brother."

"My dear child, We cannont allow that, he is a traitor and all traitors to the Empire must be killed. They can't be allowed to roam free throughout the lands." He replied softly to her.

Sara, still sobbing, stood up and stepped in front of her brother. "Then you'll have to kill me as well!" She cried.

"NO! I won't allow that to happen! Sara, please step away from him." William begged as he came down from the dias that the throne sat on.

Sara shook her head at him. "No William, I won't. Not until His Excellency agrees not to kill my brother. I love you very much my Prince, but my family comes first." She said sadly to him.

The Emperor had a pained expression on his face as he watched this. William turned around, desperation written on his face as he looked up to his father.

"Father, there must be some other way! Please if not for Sara, for me? I couldn't stand to loose her!" William begged him.

The Emperor sighed and waved the guards away. "All right, it shall be as you ask. We will not kill him. Instead we banish him from our dimension to a random dimension. If ever you return to this realm David, you will be killed. You are no longer recognized as living here." He stated as he started to chant.

Sara spun around to look at her brother as the ground beneath him started to glow. "I love you brother! Please promise me you'll stay alive!" She cried, tears streaming down her face.

"I will little one. William, watch over and protect her and Angela for me while I'm gone!" David said looking his prince in the eyes. William nodded in reply, his own eyes tearing. David then turned and looked into the eyes of the man whom he would have gladly called 'Father' with nothing but contempt in his eyes.  
"Know this Emperor, if ever I return here, it will be to bring about your downfall. You are leading our people into an unwinable war! I shall return, and with an army behind me! Then it will be your reckoning day..." He threatened as the glowing peaked and he suddenly disappeared before he could finish.

Once the glow went away Sara burst into great sobs and fled the throne room. William threw a quick glare at his father before he followed the woman he loved. All around the court, people were whispering back and forth.

"Good riddens I say! He caused more trouble than his father ever did!" one noble muttered.

"Hmmph he'll probably die within a week of where ever he landed." Another agreed.

Above it all the Emperor slumped back into his throne with a heart weary sigh. 'I'm sorry David, but you presented too much of a threat to me and my line.' He thought before he stood up and quietly left the throne room.

Next time on Flux Corps:

Hey there everyone, this is Davidanathos speaking. Well I have no clue where I am now, but it does have a lot of technology. Hmm what does this sign say? Nerima? where the hell is that? Oh well maybe this red-headed girl here could help me out. Until next time on Flux Corps First Arc, Chapter 2: Trials of a Broken-Hearted Martial Artist

AN: Well thats the end of that! GADS it took me a long time to write that! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Any ideas and what not would be welcome. You can send them to 


	3. Ch2: A Mercenary's Life

The Flux Corps First Arc: How It Began Chapter 2: A Mercenary's Life is Fraught With Peril

Disclamer: I don't own anything that deals with anime characters or shows or manga. I do however, own David and Angela and various other minor characters that will haunt the story from time to time. Enjoy and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE(!) don't sue me, I'm poor, married and in the US Army!

"RANMA NO BAKA!" Came the battle cry of the heir to the Tendo School of Anything Goes as she called forth her trusty mallet of pervert bashing. She drew back her weapon and let loose with its devestating attack on her hapless target, driving it into the ground. "I'll never love a pervert like you! I wish that you would just leave or die!" She yelled angrily at the embedded boy before she spun around and went inside her home to her room.

Ranma lay there in his hole, his heart shattered into a thousand pieces at what Akane had just said to him. 'Where did it all go wrong?' He thought morbidly. 'Why can't we seem to get along? She just doesn't love me, she even said so this time.'

From her spot at her window, another of the Tendo sisters had watched the whole affair and despaired at what had happened. She could tell that this was the end. The final straw had landed on Ranma's back and it had just broken under the strain. She sighed, herself becoming depressed as she once again wished that she hadn't chickened out when Ranma had first appeared in her life. 'Thats the past now though, and I don't think that he'll want to be with me after everything that has happened since that day.' She thought as she closed her window and turned away.

On the outskirts of the District of Nerima a golden portal opened up in the middle of the air. It flashed once and out of it fell a person. This person fell straight into the canal that was below the portal. With a resounding SPLASH, the person arrived and the portal made a popping sound as it closed and disappeared.

'Where in the multi-verse am I?' The person thought as he stood up. He looked around and saw that where ever he was, there was a lot of technology, which he wasn't used to. 'This is not good. First I'm almost killed by my Emperor, then exiled to Goddess only knows where. I have to find a way back home, if for no other reason than to see Angela. After that I'll worry about getting a little revenge.'

As he walked out of the canal he saw a sign next to the road. Looking at it he quickly determined that he couldn't read this language. With a quick chant, comprehension flowed into his brain as he could now not only read the language, but speak it as well.

'Nerima eh? I wonder where that is? Well the only way to find out is to do a little exploring.' He thought as he started to walk into the district to do just that.

Ranma carefully dug himself out of the hole that he LOVING fiance had put him into. He then quietly entered the house and walked up the stairs. When he came before Nabiki's door, he hesitated briefly, then mentally girded himself to what must be done and softly knocked on the door.

"Its open." Came the reply from within.

Ranma opened the door and entered the room. Once in he quietly shut the door and locked it before turning around to look at Nabiki.

"What can I do for you Saotome?" Nabiki asked as she raised an eyebrow at what he had done.

"Ummm, Nabiki, I need your help." Ranma said slowly.

"All right Ranma, what do you need my help in? You tell me, and I'll give you a good figure of how much it'll cost you." She replied.

Ranma barely winced at the thought of having to pay, but again girded himself to this and mentally prepared what he need to say. "Nabiki I need you to cover for me. I need to get away for a few weeks while we're still on summer break." Ranma told her.

"Excuse me? What do you mean by cover for you?" She asked sharply.

Ranma sighed as he tried to explain what he had thought about. "Nabiki, I don't think that Akane and me are going to work out. I need to get away for a few weeks so that I can sort out how I feel about this. I don't know how much longer I can last before I lash out at someone, and that isn't good. If I lash out, someone might die, and I couldn't stand that if it did happen." Ranma told her carefully.

"Come on Ranma, you aren't going to kill anybody, and besides I don't think its as bad as you seem to think it is." Nabiki replied.

"Nabiki, you don't understand. There is nobody short of the Old Ghoul or the Freak that could stop me if I lose it. Heck I don't think even they could stop me now. Didn't anyone tell you what happened at Jusendo?" Ranma asked.

"You mean that story? Come on, that has to have been a major exageration." Nabiki answered skeptically.

"It wasn't Nabiki. I killed a GOD for Akane, and blew up the mountain too. An' still we fight and argue all the time. With the other fiances getting even nastier I don' think that I can stay sane much longer." Ranma virtually pleaded with her.

Nabiki blinked at this as she took it in. "All right then Ranma. Let's supposed for a second that what you say is true, what do you want me to do then?" She asked him.

"I need to you to keep them from finding me for about three weeks. I should have it all figured out by then, if not, then it won't matter anymore." Ranma replied.

Nabiki looked at Ranma very shrewdly, searching for a sign that he might be lying to her. When she didn't find any she leaned back in her chair and sighed to herself. "All right Ranma, I'll see what I can do, but it isn't going to be cheap. We'll discuss price when you get back from you trip though. I'll charge you for how much work it'll be to keep them away."

Again Ranma winced slightly but nodded in agreement. "Thanks Nabiki, you have no idea how much this means to me." Ranma replied as he turned to go.

"By the way Saotome, just where are you planning on going this time?" She asked casually.

Ranma froze, then looked at her over his shoulder, his expression neutral. "I'm not sure yet Nabiki. And even if I was, I wouldn't tell you. I don't want anyone to know where I'm going, just in case." Ranma told her.

"Just in case of what?" She asked, a bit miffed at him.

Ranma unlocked to door and started to open it. "In case I can't figure an honorable way out of this mess that is my life." He replied as he left her room.

Nabiki sat there in shock. Her brain not fully wrapping itself around the idea that what Ranma had just said amounted to a suicide decree. "Nahh he wouldn't be thinking of commiting seppuku, could he?" She asked herself quietly.

As David was walking through the city, he noticed that people seem to stare at him a little as he walked by. He looked down at what he was wearing and laughed softly to himself. 'I guess people would stare at someone if they were wearing court clothes I guess.' He thought. David glanced around and looked for a clothing shop so that he might be able to purchase some clothes that would be more in style with what people wore in this dimension. As he glanced about he caught sight of a store that said it sold Chinese style clothes. He stood there a second before nodding to himself and entered it.

"Welcome to my humble establishment sir, how can I help you today?" An old woman asked as she came up to him.

"Greetings Elder, I am in need of some clothes, as I find that mine don't suit this place very well." David replied as he bowed politely to her.

The old woman smiled softly at him and returned the bow. "Of course Your Grace, if you would be so kind as to follow me. I know just the thing for you." She said with a twinkle in her eye.

'What the hell was that about?' David thought as he followed her warily, thanking the gods that he still had his swords with him as he subtly loosened his tan'chi in its sheath.

The old woman led the way to the back of the store where she drew aside a curtain and led him into the alcove. Inside were several chests lining the back wall. She walked up to the center one and pulled out a key. She unlocked and then opened it. She reached inside and pulled out a bundle of clothes, unwrapping the bundle to reveal a black shirt and pants combo made of silk. The shirt was of similar style to what Ranma wore, except with sleeves, and had a golden embrodiery of a lion on the right side of the front. The old woman carefully laid out the clothes with great reverance.

"I've been waiting for you for quite some time now Your Grace. It does an old body well to finally give these to you." She said softly as she gestured to the clothes.

"What are you talking about Elder? How do you know what my title is?" David asked warily as his hand started to stray to the hilt of his sword.

"I know a great many things young lord. You have been spoken of in prophecies for many years. It has always been my family's duty to prepare for your arrival and to guide you on your path." She replied.

"And just what might this path be?" He asked sharply.

"The path that will bring you back to the woman that you love, and the freedom of your beloved homeland from the tyrant that currently sits on its throne." She replied. "If I might give a humble suggestion, I suggest that you shorten your name down to what the commoners of your homeland might do Your Grace. It'll confuse poeple if you keep such a long name like that."

David stared at her, trying to decide if he should trust this old woman or not. "How do I know that I can trust you Elder?" He asked.

"Your father, before he was assassinated, came to me and told me that he believed that you would be the one. He said that when the day came, he would ensure that you would be brought here, to the land of my home, that I might assist you as best I could. He then told me that this would be his last time coming to me because he was certain that he would be dead within the week. A week later I felt something that I had been dreading since that conversation, you see, my family has been bonded to the Imperial line for many thousands of years. We are its servants and spies. We are bound by magic to the leader of that line. When the true Imperial line was killed some four thousand years ago, that bond was somehow transfered to your ancestors. The only way that could have happened was if there was Imperial blood within them. Since that day, my family has served yours faithfully. Your father already knew about this realm, as well as several others I'm sure. He knew that if the Emperor were to discover this realm, then war would come to your people. He sought us out and told us to be ready for you, for he KNEW how you were and what would happen should this realm be discovered. He KNEW you would tell the Emperor that it would be a bad idea to start that war, and he KNEW that you would be exiled for it. And so he told me that when you were exiled, instead of to some random realm, he would guide you to this one so that the prophecy could be fulfilled." She told him.

David still looked skeptical, so he decided on one final test. "If you truely know who I am, then who is that I love more than anyone else in the multi-verse?" He asked, as he knew only three other people who could answer that truthfully and none of them were here.

The Elder smiled at him softly. "Truely do I say Your Grace that you love the Lady Countess Angelanosa Mariathanath Camposanto more than your very life." She answered.

David stood there in shock for a second before he shook himself mentally. "All right Elder, I concede. You are what you say you are. I thank you for the gift of these clothes." He said as he bowed formally to her as he gently picked them up.

The Elder smiled at him. "Please change into them Your Grace while I go get you some less formal clothes to wear." She said as she left him to change. As he changed she gathered more clothes for him to wear from her shop. When she had gotten enough, she returned to the back room and entered the alcove. "Here you go Your Grace. And when you've found the members of your inner council, please bring them all here so that I can give them their formals as well as whatever else I have for them here." She said to him softly as she handed him a couple of bags of clothes.

"Thank you Elder. I will do that, you have my word. May the Goddess watch over you and your business." He said as he started to leave.

"And may she watch over you and your endevours My Lord. May your sword arm never fail you in battle! And don't forget to bring your advisors here for their uniforms!" She said as he left her store. 'Go in peace my child, I weep that it should fall on you, but Fate has chosen your path.' She thought as silent tears started to fall down her face.

That evening, before dinner, Ranma sat in the Tendo's guest room packing everything into his backpack. He slowly put everything into its proper place, making sure that he left nothing that was his in the room. When he was finished he went to his father's backpack and dug in it for a second. When his hands came out of it, they bore a tanto. The ritual dagger of a samuria's daisho. Ranma pulled the blade out slightly, just enough to see the start of the edge. He gazed at the Saotome family crest stamped on the blade for a few seconds before he resheathed the blade and turned back to his backpack. Before he could hide it in his own backpack, the door to the guest room opened quietly to reveal Nabiki standing there. She stared at what was in Ranma's hands and suddenly knew that what he had implied in her room was true. Her gasp of shock caused Ranma to look up sharply at her, his eyes narrowed in a glare.

"Ranma, please don't do that. Please, don't think about it." She said to him softly thoughts of never seeing him again flashing through her mind.

Ranma's expression grew hard for a second. "Nabiki, I may not have a choice anymore. It may be the only answer." He replied coldly.

"There has to be another way than taking your life Ranma." She countered as she frantically thought of something to say to convince him not to go through with it.

"Why are you so interested in me staying alive? Need the money I generate for you eh?" He asked sharply.

Nabiki winced slightly at his accusation and bowed her head. "I know you won't believe anything I say to you Ranma, and I've given you plenty of reason not to believe too, but please believe me when I say that I never intended to seriously hurt you. The dojo needed that money to pay for all the food that your father eats as well as repairs for all the damage that happens whenever one of your rivals or fiances has a fight here." She said softly.

"I know Nabiki, thats why I never said anything about it. But you could have asked me, I would have helped out as best as I could have." Ranma replied just as softly.

"Please Ranma, let me make it up to you. I'm not going to charge you for covering for you, no matter how much it might cost me." Nabiki pleaded, looking up at him desperately, her course chosen as she decided to let it all out.

Ranma looked at her funnily. "Why Nabiki? Why would you do that? What would you get out of it by doing that for me?" He asked her sharply griping the tanto tighter.

"Ranma please! Promise me that you won't commit seppuku! Please give me a chance to make up all the wrongs that I've done to you." She begged, tears starting to show in her eyes as her mask finally broke.

Ranma looked at her very carefully, trying to see if she is putting on an act for him. "Why do you really want to do this Nabiki? Do you know how much pain I'm in? There is nothing left for me here. And after my mother hears about this latest thing she'll probably deem me unmanly anyways." Ranma said to her in a tired voice, his shoulders slumping.

Nabiki looked shocked and almost seemed to balk from telling him her reasoning before she saw his expression, which firmed her resovle that she was doing the right thing. "Ranma, you want to know the real reason why I don't want you to commit seppuku?" She asked him. At seeing his nod of agreement she looked down at her feet, suddenly very nervous about telling him desipte her having said it before back during that short time that they were engaged. "Its b...be...because I l..lo..love you." She stammered out, still looking at her feet, fearing to look up at him and see his rejection that she KNEW was there.

Ranma stared at her in shock. 'Naw that can't be it, she has to be lying to me again.' "I don't believe you Nabiki. You've told me that before and you didn't mean it then, so why should you mean it now." He told her bluntly, not seeing the tears start to fall from her eyes.

Nabiki choked back a sob that threathened to come out at hearing him reject her. "W..What would it take to prove to you that I'm telling the truth?" She asked him fearfully.

Ranma blinked at her, not expecting that kind of reply. "No more lying to me. No more cheating me, for a start at least." He told her slowly.

Nabiki gulped her tears and nodded. "I can do that Ranma-kun. No more lying, no more cheating. So I swear on my mother's memory." She told him softly.

Ranma turned around and put the tanto in his backpack, making sure that it was securely hidden in the pack. He suddenly jumped as he felt a pair of arms wrap around him from behind and hold him softly, not the glomp that he was used to getting. "Nabiki?"

"I'm afraid Ranma." She said softly to him as she gently pressed herself against his back. "I'm afraid that I'll never see you again and that I won't be able to share with you how I really feel about you."

Ranma slowly turned around in her arms and looked down at her. He saw her bury her head into his chest and he suddenly felt tears soaking into his shirt. "Nabiki? You're crying?" He asked stupidly as he looked down at her in confusion.

"Ranma no baka, I love you damnit." She said haltingly as she looked up at him, tears falling from her eyes.

"Then why all the act? Why did you shove me off on Akane like that?" He asked.

"Because I was afraid of you. Now I'm afraid of losing you because of her." She answered as she tried to get some kind of control over herself.

"I've got to go Nabiki. If I don't leave now, I'll never get away, and then I'll end up killing someone." Ranma told her softly.

Nabiki looked very reluctant to let him go, but nodded in agreement. "Can I give you something to remember me by while you're gone then Ranma-kun?" She asked him.

Ranma thought about it for a little bit before he nodded in agreement with a small smile on his face. "Sure Nabiki, what can it hurt." He told her.

Nabiki smiled tremulously as she ran a hand up his back to the back of his head. She then drew his head down as she tilted hers up and kissed him passionately. Ranma's arms started to windmill wildly as Nabiki continued to kiss him, sliding her tongue into his mouth and deepening the kiss. After a short time of her kissing him, Ranma started to calm down and found that he enjoyed the kiss. He then wrapped his arms around her and started to return the kiss with all the passion that Nabiki was giving it. When they finally broke the kiss they stared into each other's eyes for a time before Ranma remembered where they were and gently broke the embrace that they were in.

"Wow!" Ranma breathed softly in amazement.

"Wow indeed." Nabiki agreed just as softly. "Ranma, please promise me that you'll return to me."

Ranma sighed as he looked into her tear-filled expression and remembered the emotion that was in their kiss. "All right Nabs, I'll come back and tell you my decision before I do anything else. But if there isn't any hope of getting out of this with honor intact then I won't have a choice about seppuku." He told her.

Nabiki nodded haltingly. She then reached up and kissed him softly on the lips. "I'll be waiting for you Ranma. I'm sorry that it took this for me to tell you how I really feel about you. I only hope that you can forgive me in time." She told him as she slowly stepped away from him.

Ranma nodded before giving Nabiki his famous smirk. He then opened his window and picked up his pack. "I'll see you in three weeks Nabs. We'll see what happens then. Take care of yourself and tell my mom that I love her okay?" He said as he stepped up to the window, preparing to jump out.

"I will Ranma. I love you." She replied as she watched him jump out the window and off into the distance. Nabiki turned around and went to the wash room to clean up so that no one in the family knew that she had been crying.

Twenty minutes later Kasumi called everyone to come for dinner. Once everyone, Saotomes and Tendos, were gathered at the table they all noticed that one was missing.

"Oh my, where is Ranma?" Kasumi asked.

"That's a good question Kasumi-chan. Nabiki-chan would be so kind as to go up to his room and find out what is keeping Ranma please." Nodoka asked her politely.

"Of course Aunty Nodoka." Nabiki said as she went up to the guest room. When she got there, she saw that everything was just as she had left it, except for a pair of notes that sat on the dresser. She went over and looked at them. One was addressed to her while the other was addressed to their families. Nabiki pocketed hers then grabbed the other one and took it back downstairs. "Ranma wasn't there Aunty, but this note was." She said as she held it up.

Nodoka reached out and took the note. After she carefully opened it she read it aloud so that the others could know what her son had written.

"Everyone,  
I've gone on a training trip. Things have become very hard here and I need to leave for a time to get things straight. Because of what Pops has done while on the training trip that we took, I have been put in a very delicate situation involving my honor. I've left before all the things that have been happening around me cause me to break and do something that I'll regret. I'm going to find an honorable way out of the mess that is my life without commiting seppuku, but if I can't then I will have no choice. Do not try to find me, because you won't be able to. I'll be back before school starts again. You'll find out my choice when I return.  
Ranma"

Everyone sat there in shock aside from Nabiki and Nodoka. Nabiki had her cold mask on while Nodoka was trying hard to hold in tears that threatened to spill out. Nabiki looked over her shoulder and silently read the last bit that Ranma had added at the end.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be manly enough for you mother. I'll make it up to you upon my return, even if it means commiting seppuku."

After a few minutes of silence Akane finally gathered enough wits to react to everything. "RANMA NO BAKA! How dare you run away!" She yelled. "I bet he's with one of his hussies!"

Nabiki just shook her head and sat down next to Nodoka, placing a discreet hand on her knee in comfort before she started to eat.

Several miles away from the Tendo Dojo Ranma was walking along the road in a slow, methodical pace, lost in thought. 'Where should I go? I want to go somewhere where I won't be easily found, but that they won't expect me to go.' He thought as he walked. Ranma was so lost in thought that as he turned a corner he ran into someone, causing them to fall. Acting on instinct, Ranma rolled backwards and came up in a fighting stance. As he looked at the one he ran into he saw a young man just a few years older than him. He was wearing black silk pants with a black chinese tunic with long sleeves. On the left side of the shirt was a golden lion rearing up to attack. At the man's hips were two swords in plain sheaths.

"A thousand apologies my good man. I didn't mean to run into you, I was lost in thought." The man said to Ranma politely.

"Ain' no problem, I was lost in thought also." Ranma replied as he relaxed out of his stance. "Name's Saotome Ranma of the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts."

"My name is Sanders David, Grandmaster of the Tan'chi twin sword style at your service." David said with a bow.

"So what are you doing in Nerima? You don't look like the usual kind to come to this city." Ranma said.

"Actually I'm lost. I was banished from my homeland not too long ago. Now I'm just trying to find somewhere to live and survive." David answered.

"Well I wish I could help ya, but I'm leaving on a training trip." Ranma told him as he resetteled his pack.

David looked at him carefully, using all of his sense, including his mystical ones. After a short scan he mentally nodded to himself. 'This one could work. In fact I think that I've found one of my advisors. That was quick! A training trip eh? Maybe I could help him out. He sure does seem troubled about something.' He thought.

"Mind if I join you Saotome-san? If nothing else, I'll be able to provide you with companionship, if not assitance with any problems that you may have while on your trip." Daivd asked.

Ranma looked sharply at David, trying to see if he was possibly trying to get close so he could hurt him. After looking at the man's aura Ranma nodded slowly in reply. "If thats what you want to do. I doubt that you could help me with my problems though, and call me Ranma." Ranma told him.

"Of course Ranma. Let us go then, there is still daylight left and a lot of walking to do." David said to him.

Together the two men walked out of Nerima, heading for the mountains. As they walked they talked about random things that had nothing to do with their histories, just to make small talk.

Not long after dinner, Nodoka approached Nabiki slowly.

"Nabiki-chan, can I speak to you privately please?" She asked her.

"Of course Aunty, if you would follow me please." Nabiki said as she led Nodoka up the stairs to her room. When they arrived at Nabiki's room, they took seats, Nabiki on her bed and Nodoka in the chair that sat before the desk. "What is it that you wish to talk to me about Aunty?" She asked after the older woman had settled herself in.

"Did you know about this Nabiki? About my son leaving?" She asked.

Nabiki sighed and looked thoughtful. 'What should I tell her? I can't tell her everything, that would be bad right now. Ranma doesn't need a new fiance.' After a few more seconds she mentally nodded and looked Nodoka in the eyes, noticing the older woman's almost frantic look.

"Yes I did know Aunty. Ranma came to me asking for me to cover for him while he was away so that he could get the time that he needed." She told her.

"Why didn't he come to me and tell me anything?" Nodoka asked.

"I don't know Aunty, he didn't tell me. He did ask me to tell you something though. He wanted me to tell you that he loves you very much. I've gotten him to promise to come back here first before he acts on his decision." Nabiki replied.

"I've never thought that he was unmanly Nabiki, why did he put that at the end of the note? I would have never demanded that Ranma fulfill that contract, I love him." Nodoka asked as tears started to appear in her eyes.

"You might want to tell him that when he gets back Aunty. It will probably help him a lot in making a final decision." Nabiki said soothingly as she leaned forward to place a hand on the older woman's knee.

Nodoka smiled weakly at the younger girl in appriciation before she stood up. "Thank you for talking with me Nabiki-chan. Perhaps we could talk another day about my son, you seem to know a lot about him, and I would like to get to know him better, or as best as I can without him here." Nodoka said to her.

"I would like that very much Aunty. I do know a few things about Ranma. He has told me a lot of things that have happened to him while he was on his training trip with his father, and I know a lot about what has happened over the last two years." Nabiki replied as she stood and walked her to the door.

"Sleep well Nabiki-chan, and thank you again for talking to me." Nodoka said as she opened the door and left.

"You too Aunty. I'll see you tomorrow morning." Nabiki said with a small smile before she closed the door and returned to sit on her bed. Once seated she reached into her pocket and pulled out the note that Ranma had written for her to read it.

"Nabiki,  
Thanks for covering for me again. I didn't know how to say this out loud, so here it goes. I think that I might care about you too. I don't know if I love you because I don't know what love is. My life is really messed up right now. When I get back, I hope to have found a way out of this mess. If I have, maybe we can try to be together. Who knows, maybe we'll work out.

Your Friend,  
Ranma"

'Oh Ranma, of course. Even if you haven't I'll try to be with you. I love you.' Nabiki thought as she laid down on her bed and clutched the letter to her chest as she slowly fell asleep.

Three days had past since Ranma left the dojo. Inside the dojo things were hectic. The fathers were frantic to find him and get him to marry Akane, while Akane was a rage machine, getting angry at the slightest thing and blaming it all on Ranma. Nabiki was having a difficult time maintaining her mask around Nodoka as the two of them had talked a lot in the last few days about Ranma. Kasumi just took everything in stride and continued on like nothing had really happened.

Nabiki was sitting in her room, going over her ledgers, balancing out her books and making sure that they had plenty of money for the next few months. She was mostly finished when there was a knock on her window, distracting her from her work. Nabiki sighed in frustration and closed all the books before she got up and went to the window and opened it to find Cologne standing there.

"Good afternoon Elder, to what do I owe this visit?" Nabiki asked as she stood there.

"I have business that I need to discuss with you Nabiki-san." Cologne said as she hopped into the room.

Nabiki nodded as she sat back down in her chair. "What is it that you wish to propose to me Elder?" She asked, maintaining her mask even though she knew exactly why she was here.

"I need you to find Son-in-Law for me. Xian Pu and I have searched all over Nerima for him and we can't seem to find him. I'm willing to pay a good deal of money to you if you do find him." Cologne told her.

"All right then, I'll do what I can to find him for you then. Do you have any idea as to where he might have gone? All we know is that he's gone on a training trip, beyond that I don't have a clue as to where to look." Nabiki replied, trying to get more information from the crafty old woman.

"I've already looked in all the likely areas and a few unlikely ones. You're on your own as for where to look young lady." Cologne responded.

"All right, I'll do my best then, but no promises that I'll find him before he returns Elder. He said he would be back before school starts. I'll see what I can do though." Nabiki told her.

"If that is all that you can do for me then I don't see any choice but to accept it then. Here is an advance to help convince you to find him as soon as possible." Cologne said as she tossed an envelope on Nabiki's desk before she turned around and hopped out the window and back to her resturant.

Nabiki glanced at the envelope and then opened it. She gasped as she saw that it was stuffed full with money without looking like it had been. Nabiki started to pull the money out and count it. By the time she was finished she had counted a total of one and a half million yen.

"Damn thats a lot of money. I wonder why she wants to find Ranma so badly. Well I'll be damned if I let those Amazons get their hands on my man." She swore softly. "I think I'll use this money to find out why the Amazons want Ranma as well as find a way to break all of Ranma's engagements so that he'll have an easier time when he gets back."

Nabiki leaned back in her chair and started to brainstorm on what exactly she would need to do to help out the man she loved.

Somewhere in the mountains of Japan Ranma and David were sitting next to a campfire enjoying their dinner several days after they had left.

"So do you have any ideas as to how I can honorably get out of all this trouble?" Ranma asked David.

"I don't know Ranma. It certainly is a pickle that you've gotten yourself into. Now let me see if I have this right. Your father engaged you to the Tendos and several other families, most of which was for food or sums of money right?" David asked.

"Yup, thats right" Ranma answered.

"Then there is the Amazons. This Cologne wants you to marry her great granddaughter and beget as many girls as possible for the betterment of her tribe. Then you've got all those rivals, most of them being guys who feel that you're moving in on their women right?" David said.

"Yeah thats right too." Ranma replied glumly as he started to think about all of it too.

"Well if you marry one of the girls then all of your honor is shot, and thats bad. Changing your name isn't likely to help either. And you mentioned that becoming this ronin isn't an option either. Hmm this makes things tricky, but I think that I can at least give YOU an honorable way out of this mess." David said.

"Really? How can you help me? I mean I've tried to think of every angle and I've come up with nothing." Ranma asked skeptically.

"Back where I'm from we have a tradition amoung the people. We have mercenary companies all over the land. The tradition of these mercenary companies is that one's past stays there, when you join you have a clean slate, no prior honor, no pledges, no debt, no losses, no victories, nothing. I'm planning on starting a mercenary company and would like you to join." David told him.

"I don't know David, I'll think about it though." Ranma replied carefully.

A week and a half after Ranma left.

"Where is that ungrateful son of mine!" Genma cried as he and Soun stumbled into the dojo, drunk as skunks.

"The shchools will never be joined, WAAAHHHHH!" Soun said as he started his infamous waterworks trick.

"I'll bet hes with some floozy!" Akane yelled as she stopped in from the dojo.

Nabiki watched it all and shook her head as she headed upstairs to her room. When she got there she found Cologne sitting in her open window waiting for her.

"And to what do I owe this visit Elder?" Nabiki said in a cold voice as she glared at the old woman.

"Have you found him yet Nabiki-san?" She asked.

"No I haven't, and not for lack of trying either. He truely has disappeared this time. I've had my people everywhere trying to find him." Nabiki replied.

"Are you sure that you've looked everywhere?" Cologne asked sharply.

"All the training spots from here to Osaka and as far north as I can get people too. I've checked all the dojos, monestaries and little hideaways that you could think of and still no sign of him. Its good for you that I know how to stretch money out otherwise I would have asked for more money about two days ago, as is I still have about a quarter of a million left to play with before I'll need more." Nabiki answered her coldly.

"Just making sure that you're trying your hardest Nabiki-san, its very important that you find the Groom." Cologne told her as she turned and hopped away.

Nabiki sighed and sat down at her desk and pulled a key out from her blouse. She opened a locked drawer on her desk and fiddled around inside of the drawer before a small click was heard. She pulled out a thin book that had 'Ranma' written on it. She softly put it on her desk and opened the book up.

'Lets see here. Fiances except for Shampoo are gone. Either their dowerys were paid back or I've gotten an agreement that they would just give it up. All of his personel debts are paid, but all the ones that his father encurred are stuck to him and not Ranma now. Hmmm, there's still this issue of a cousin in Juban whose being taken care of by three women. I wonder if Ranma knows about this one. Tomoe Hotaru, sounds like a cute kid I guess. Heh, who would have thought that Ranma would be the official guardian for a thirteen year old girl. Well thats one I can't do a thing about until he gets back. Guess the rest of this money will just be a little nest egg for him then. Ahh the irony of it all! The Amazons paid to have all of Ranma's problems fixed and set aside a decent amount of money for him to have just in case!' Nabiki thought, chuckling at the end.

As Nabiki put the book away there was a knock on her door. "Just a second!" She answered as she quickly locked the drawer. "Enter!"

The door opened to reveal Ukyou standing there in her okonomiyaki chefs outfit, but without any weapons.

"Please come in and shut the door Ukyou-san. How can I help you today?" Nabiki asked as she turned her new comfortable chair around to face the young chef.

Ukyou did as she was told and stood before Nabiki. "I need your help with something Nabiki-san. I just recently received a letter from the government stating that my official gender had been changed back to female and just yesterday I received a letter from my father saying that my quest was finished and that I was no longer officially engaged to Ranchan." She said to Nabiki with a slightly scared look on her face.

"I see. That is certainly interesting news to hear Ukyou-san. What is it that you wish for me to do for you then?" She asked.

"I would like you to find out who had this done and why if at all possible. I'm willing to pay you whatever it takes." Ukyou answered.

"Hmmm. Thats a tall order, but I think that I can do that. 250,000 yen to start with and if I need more then I'll call you Ukyou. Is there anything else that I can do for you?" Nabiki said, causing Ukyou to wince slightly at the price.

"You wouldn't happen to know where Ranchan is, would you?" Ukyou asked hopefully.

Nabiki shook her head. "No I don't, and I've been looking. But I do know that he'll be back here before school starts again, I just don't know when exactly." Nabiki replied.

Ukyou nodded in thanks as she pulled out her check book and wrote a check to Nabiki. "Here you go Nabiki-san. Thank you for the help." She said as she handed the check over to her.

Nabiki smirked at her. "No, thank you Ukyou. I'll get on this right away from you." Nabiki said to her as she turned twoards her desk and opened up one of her ledgers.

Ukyou took the hint and left the middle Tendo daughter alone to work her black magic.

The same day in the mountains

Ranma and David had been sparring for the last few hours and were doing their cool down exercises when David looked at his friend curiously.

"Ranma I think that I might be able to help give you control over your curse. It won't be a cure I know, but it will get rid of the water magnet part as well as give you control of it." David said to him as they finished.

"Really? That would be wonderful if you could do that!" Ranma exclaimed, excited to get one step closer to a cure.

"The thing is that I need to watch the change happen a couple of more times to see if the spell that I do know will work on you." David told him.

Ranma grimaced at the thought of more magic, but he had learned to trust David so he nodded as they went back to their camp. Once there Ranma put a kettle on the fire, that was surprisingly still burning strong, so that he would have hot water for later. David watched as Ranma grabbed a bottle of water and poured some of it over his head, enacting the change. David opened himself fully so that all of his senses watch the change happen. As it happened David thought that he caught something odd just as the change was finishing. He shook his head to clear his sense, thinking that it might be just a mistake.

"Ranma could you do that a few more times. I need to make sure that I'm not going to be making any mistakes when we do this." David told him.

"Sure no problem David." Ranma replied as she grabbed the now heated kettle and poured a little of the water over her head.

David watched much more intently this time and just as the change was completed he knew that he saw something else switch. He narrowed his eyes and nodded to Ranma to do it again. As he did David finally caught what happened as his eyes shot wide open for a split second. He then looked at the now female Ranma and held up his hand to forestall the change back into a male.

"Tell me young lady, what is it like sharing a body with Ranma?" He asked softly.

"What the hell are you talking about David? Its me, Ranma!" She exclaimed in confusion.

"Nice try young lady, but I'm older than you and far more experienced in magic as well as souls and I know for a fact that you are not Ranma, you might share his memories and have his permission to use this form so that you could experience the real world, but you are NOT Ranma." David told her.

David watched as her expression changed rapidly from confusion to anger and finally settled on fear. "You won't tell anyone about me, will you?" She asked fearfullly.

"Of course not dear. I figured that Ranma allowed you out, instead of fighting the change of souls, so your secret is safe with me. But please introduce yourself. I take it that you are the girl who drowned in the spring 1,500 years ago?" David said.

"Yeah that was me, except it was a lot longer than 1,500 years ago. More like 15,000, but that isn't important. You can call me Saotome Ranko for now, my original family has been dead for far too long for me to use that name any longer." She told him, her sad expression getting to David's gentle heart.

David walked up to her and put his arm around her shoulder. "Its okay Ranko, I know what its like to loose your loved ones. My parents died when I was young and I was forced to raise my younger sister by myself. I would like to think that I did a decent job of doing that as she came out all right, but it still hurts not to have them around." David said to her softly.

Ranko sniffled a little as she turned to him and gave him a hug. "Thanks for understanding David." she murmured. "What are we going to do now?"

"Well I figured that we could continue as we have been and I'll still give the two of you control over the change. Doesn't make sense to call it a curse anymore, now does it?" He asked her with a small smile.

Ranko gave a watery chuckle in agreement. "Yeah it doesn't, and Ranma agrees. Do you think that I could be your friend as well?" She asked.

"I would be deeply honored to have you and your brother as friends Ranko. And if you both decide to join my mercenary unit then I will be both pleased and honored that the two of you would trust me that much." David replied.

"We'll think about it and give you an answer before we get back to Tokyo David." Ranko told him. "Now then lets get this spell over with so that we can go back to training." Ranko said as she stepped away from him with a grin.

"All right then, I know just the spell." David said with an answering grin as he started to chant.

A few days before school was going to start again Ranma and David were sitting on a train heading back to Tokyo. As the train flew down the tracks the two young men talked between themselves.

"So you're offering me a position in this mercenary company that you want to start eh? And by joining all my prior commitments are null and void?" Ranma asked David carefully, showing how much he had changed over the last couple of weeks.

"Not just any position Ranma, I'm offering the position of executive officer, my second in command. And it has been traditional where I was raised that when you join a mercenary unit, your past stays there, in the past that is." David answered.

"All right. I think I got it now. Ya know, this is just too good an opportunity to pass up now that I've thought about it, but what happens to our friendship afterwards?" Ranma replies.

"We'll stay friends of course. I'll always be your friend, even when I'm your boss, because I know that you'll follow orders when I do issue them. By the way, are you going to go forward with what we had discussed about your girl-side?" David asked.

"Yeah, I think that I will. It makes the most sense to me at least. Thank goddess that you can just magic it all into place." Ranma answered.

They continued to sit in silence for a few more minutes before David got a gleam to his eye as he suddenly looked at Ranma. "You want to play a joke on your family and friends?" David asked playfully.

Ranma looked sharply at him when he said that. "I don't know. I'd rather not hurt Nabs if I can help it, I really think that I love her." Ranma replied.

"That's fine. Why don't you just wink at her when she catches sight of us so that she'll know its just a joke." David responded.

"I guess that'll work. What do you have planned?" Ranma asked warily.

"Well I was thinking that we could visit this shop that I know of first. There is something that I need to get there for you. Then we'll head for the dojo with you in female form. Once there, or if anyone sees us, we start acting like a couple. That will throw everyone for a loop and we can play it up as much as you want to. Of course if you want we could include Nabiki-san in it as well and try to draw her into it by you throwing yourself happily at her and telling her how much you've missed her and love her and 'wouldn't it be fun to have a threesome with your David-kun'. I'm sure that if we did that then nobody would remain standing aside from Nabiki-san, and only her because you'll be holding her up." David told him.

Ranma looked both thoughtful and horrorified by the idea for a few minutes. During those few minutes David watched his friend's face go through a multitude of expressions before it finally just became a blank expression. He waited patiently for a few more minutes before Ranma's eyes focused on his.

"All right David, lets do it. You're right, it just might be fun for us." Ranma chuckled. "If nothing else, it'll be good for a few laughs to see the expressions on everyone's faces."

David chuckled as well and nodded.

"Next stop is Nerima, Nerima is the next stop. Please gather all of your things before you leave the train." The loudspeaker on the train said as the train started to slow down in preperation to entering the station.

As the train pulled into the station Ranma's eyes lost focus for a second. Suddenly his form looked less defined as the change happened and Ranma changed into Ranko. Her eyes refocused and she looked up at her friend. "How does this look David-kun? Do I look alright?" She asked in a cutesy tone of voice.

David smiled at down at her friend, mirth showing in his eyes. "Yes dear. You look just fine." He replied as they got up and grabbed their backpacks.

Together the two of them got off the train and started to leave the station. As they walked down the streets of Nerima the two of them looked around them, watching all the people stare at the two of them. The reason that they were staring was because the dreaded Saotome Ranma was WALKING down the street with a BOY. A boy that s/he was holding hands with! And casting loving looks at as well! Some people fainted at the sight, while some others just ran away crying that the world was coming to an end, and the third group just took it all in stride as yet another weird aspect of Nerima.

"What is up with some of these people David-kun?" Ranko asked him as she looked up at him.

"I don't know my dear, you'd think that they would know what a couple who loves each other would look like, wouldn't you?" He replied.

"Oh well. I guess its just something that isn't common here. Most people are used to seeing me either walking on a fence, roof-hopping or fighting someone. And here I am walking with you." Ranko said with a happy smile.

David chuckled at her reply and just squeezed her hand, letting her know he understood. The two continued on, despite what was happening around them, for the clothes store that David knew. When they stood outside it Ranko looked up at the sign and slowly read it.

"Oh my! I know this store! I come here all the time!" She exclaimed happily as she let go of David's hand and went inside ahead of him. "Grandmother! Its me!" She called out as she entered the store.

The old woman who owned the store came out of the back with a smile on her face. "Ranma, what a pleasent surprise this is. Last I heard you had disappeared to parts unknown." She said as she came up and gave Ranko a hug.

"I was out training and trying to find a way to get my life in order Grandmother. I wouldn't have been able to do it if it handn't been for David-kun though. He's been such a help! I've finally found my true self as well as where my heart truely lies." She said with a large grin on her face.

"Really now. I would love to meet this young man that has done so much for you." the old woman said to her.

"Of course he's just outside. Let me go get him real quick." Ranko replied as she dashed back outside and grabbed David by the hand and literally dragged him into the store. When they both stood before the old woman Ranko smiled happily as she showed him off. "This Grandmother is Sanders David, the man who has been such a dear in helping me find my true self. Oh and please call me Ranko when I'm like this, it'll cause less confusion." She said.

The old woman looked over to see David standing there with a grin on his face. "Greetings Honored Elder. Its a pleasure to see you again." David said a he bowed politely to her.

"It certainly is good to see you again young man, and in such good company too. I always did think that young Ranko needed a man of your nature to bring out the best of her." She said with a grin.

"Grandmother!" Ranko exclaimed with a blush. "You're embarassing me!"

David chuckled while shaking his head. "As fun as it is to do that my dear, we did come here for a reason. Honored Elder, Ranko is to be my Executive Officer, is there a chance that you might have something that would be appropriate for her?" David asked.

The older woman's eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at the young couple. "Are you certain of this young man. You know the consequences of such a decision I hope." She replied.

"I know them very well Honored Elder and wouldn't ask this of you if I wasn't absolutely positive of Ranko being capable of the job." David told her.

"David-kun what are you talking about?" Ranko asked looking slightly worried.

"Nothing that will hurt you Ranko-chan. I'll just wait right here while you go with the Elder." David answered.

Ranko looked into his eyes, searching for a possible chance that he might be lying or hiding something from her. After looking for a few seconds she slowly nodded and turned back to the Elder. "I'm ready whenever you are Grandmother." She said as she squared her shoulders.

The Elder glared at David on last time before turning to face Ranko squarely. "All right then dear. If you will follow me, we'll get this over with." She said as she turned around and led Ranko to the back room.

As they left the main room David breathed a sigh of relief and offered up a quick prayer to the gods for his friends. 'I hope that I'm right about this. If not then I don't know what I'll do. I don't think there are any priests in the area that can preform a resurection, this place just doesn't have enough magic users for that.' He thought as he looked at the back door in worry.

Inside the back room Ranko was faced with four wooden chests. The elder stood to one side of the room and looked seriously at Ranko.

"Child, inside one of these chests is your destiny. Choose carefully which one you try to open. Only one will open for you, the others will mean you death. Good luck." She said as she waved Ranko twoards the chests.

'Great, choose correctly or die. I just love this.' Ranko thought as she approached them. She slowly and gently extended her senses twoards the chests, trying to get a feel for them. Each one seemed to have a slightly different feel. The one on the far left was empty, as if it had already been opened. The one next to it felt like an enormous power, but in duality. The next one had a very oily or slippery feel to it. The last one felt like both life and death were contained all in one box. As she scanned each chest, Ranko listened to her instincts. As she sweeped back over them one last time her instincts seemed to tell her to stay the hell away from the last box and the first one. The third one seemed to feel familiar but not like it belonged to her. Going on what she felt she moved purposefully for the second chest and boldly opened it, expecting to get blown up.

"Good choice Child. It seems as if you are one of the prophocied. I wish you the best of luck with your new path." The elder said as she left Ranko to discover what was inside the chest.

Ranko stood there confused as she stared at the open chest. 'What the hell did she mean?' She thought. Ranko shook off her confusion and peered into the chest. Inside she saw balck clothes and a bundle of black silk that covered something long. She reached inside and pulled the clothes out to reveal a pair of black silk pants and a long sleeve black silk Chinese-style shirt with two golden Chinese dragons weaving around each other on the left side. Ranko smirked and changed into the new clothes. Once changed she gasped as the clothes morphed into something similar to what Xian Pu normally would wear, but still in black and with the dragons. Ranko looked warily into the chest at the wrapped bundle, not entirely trusting it now. She slowly reached down into it and withdrew the bundle. Whatever it was, it was hard. She looked over the wrapping carefully, noting its length and width. She then slowly unwrapped the object, revealing to the world a beautifully made katana.

"Wow." Ranko gasped as she stared at the beautiful weapon. Never before had she seen such a wonderful katana, not even her mother's looked this good.

Ranko slowly moved her hand to the hilt and carefully drew the blade out of its sheath, being mindful that it could be trapped. Once the blade was completly free of its sheath it started to glow a bright white, lighting up the entire room and casting shadows everywhere. Ranko was blasted with power from the inside as she felt something within her unlock. Suddenly memories flooded into her, memories of a past that she had thought lost to her. Her mouth opened in a scream as she slowly toppled forward and passed out as the pain of the memory dump was too much for her to handle.

Outside the room David was standing there looking around the store trying to calm his nerves at the idea that he may loose his new friend to something that even he didn't completely understand. He was still looking and pacing nervously when the Elder who owned the shop came out of the back room. David rapidly moved twoards her, his worry clear on his face.

"Is she alright? What happened in there?" David asked frantically.

The Elder looked up at David and smiled softly. "Ranko is just fine Young Master. She chose the correct chest." She informed him.

David sighed in relief, happy that his friend was fine. Just as he was starting to relax the was a flash of white light from the back room and a scream broke the silence. David broke past the Elder and ran into the back room to find Ranko crumpled on the floor wearing a Chinese Amazon pantsuit that was all black and holding a softly glowing katana. David could FEEL the magic that seemed bathe the room as he slowly approached his friend. He gently turned her over, making a small note of the two dragons on the left side of her clothes, and made her comfortable. He tried to pry the katana out of her hands but Ranko refused to release the blade from her grasp.

The old woman quietly came into the room and saw Ranko lying there with David hovering nearby. "Oh dear, I was afraid that something like this might happen." She muttered.

David spun to face her, anger showing on his face. "What are you talking about? What happened to her!" He almost yelled at her.

"I was afraid that with two souls in one body that one of them might have been the soul of the girl that drowned in the spring. Seeing as that is indeed true, I figured that eventually something would spark her memories and return them to her. Getting several years worth of memories about someone's past is a very painful experience. I'm not surprised that she passed out from it, I am surprised however that she was able to scream. Most people who suddenly remember a complete past life don't even have the ability to scream in pain before they pass out." She answered him.

David turned back around and sighed as he sat next to his friend. "You sure that she'll be alright when she wakes up?" David asked.

"Oh yes, she'll be just fine. She might have a little bit of a headache, but other than that she'll be okay. The problem will be that I have no clue as to how this will affect Ranma. With two souls in this body and both of them with complete memories, there is no tellig what might happen." The old woman said with a worried expression on her face.

David smiled softly as he gazed at Ranko. "I think they'll be just fine Elder. I have faith that both of them will be able to overcome whatever the world and the gods can throw at these two." David said with confidence.

The old woman nodded to him before she turned around and left. David sat next to his friend and smiled softly at her. 'Yet another thing for you to worry about my friend. I hope you come out of this alright.' He thought.

-  
Inside Ranma's mind ---------------------------------------------------------------

Ranma glanced around him in confusion. The place that he normally retreats to when Ranko takes control had changed suddenly and drastically. One minute he was standing in a nice forest glade. The glade being the combination of all the things that he had seen while traveling with his father. The next minute it changed to be rolling hills with a forest in the distance. Ranma looked above him, expecting to see what he normally did, the moon hanging pale in the sky during the late afternoon. Instead he saw three moons hanging in the sky in the early morning light.

'What the hell is going on here?' He thought to himself as he looked around.

As he started to walk around, getting a feel for what had happened to his hideaway, he heard in the distance the sound of someone crying. The crying seemed to draw at Ranma, making him feel sad and lonely. He started to move twoards the crying, wanting to comfort whoever it was. As he drew closer to it he could determine that it was a woman that was crying. As he crested the last hill he saw Ranko curled up in a ball crying like there was no tomorrow. Being who and what he was, Ranma couldn't stand seeing this. He softly approached her and knelt down next to her.

"Shhhh Ranko, its okay. Everything is going to be alright." He said as he softly put a hand on her shoulder, doing what he had seen Kasumi do for her sisters a couple of times.

Suddenly Ranma was engulfed in a hug that threatened to break his ribs and Ranko held on for dear life while sobs wracked her body. Stunned for a moment, Ranma stiffened up on instinct before his mind recalled that this was Ranko, his little sister, someone who would never hurt him if they could help it. He slowly wrapped his arms around her as he started to rock her back and forth, making soothing sounds like he had heard Kasumi do a couple of times for Akane. After several minutes Ranko started to slowly calm down, her breathing returning to normal as the sobs died away and tears just leaked from her eyes. After she had finally stopped crying, she dragged her hand across her eyes, brushing the tears away, as she looked up at Ranma.

"Thanks Ranma, I needed that." She said softly.

"So what was that all about Ranko?" Ranma asked her gently.

"Well when I reached inside the chest and drew the blade out nothing happened, but when I took the blade out of its sheath I was swamped with memories. All of them memories of my life before I drowned in the springs." She answered.

"Too much too soon eh? I can understand that." Ranma replied. "So what were you like back then? What was life like?"

"Well I was a princess back then. My mother was the ruler of a planet called Vulcan, which was destroyed in a war that happened not long after my seventeenth year. This landscape is from Vulcan. Durning my life I was known as Sailor Vulcan, one of the defenders of the Moon Kingdom and a protector of its heir, Princess Serenity." Ranko told him.

"You mean you were like those sailor girls that I've heard about from Juban?" Ranma asked.

Ranko blinked in surprise, but nodded slowly. "You mean they're all alive?"

"Yup from what I've heard there are nine of them in Juban, along with some caped idiot." He answered.

"Thank the gods! I was afraid that I was the only one left alive. I only hope that Sa-chan remembers me." She said softly.

Ranma blinked as he looked at her before he suddenly got a mental picture of who Ranko was talking about. "Whoa that was weird." He said as he shook his head.

"What? What happened Ranma?" She asked him, a concerned look on her face.

"I think that our memories of who we are and were are merging because we share the same body." Ranma told her.

"Really, that could be a problem." She mused.

"Maybe and then again maybe not. It would certainly help you out some eh? If David agrees we could go over there and fight these youma that the Sailors are fighting. You could be Sailor Vulcan again, and if its my turn then I'll just be the Vulcan Knight." Ranma suggested.

Ranko looked thoughtful, running the idea through her head. After a few minutes she looked right into Ranma's eyes and shook her head. "No that won't work. I failed my planet when it needed me the most and now its an asteroid belt. Its better if we just call ourselves something else. You could still call yourself the Vulcan Knight, but I think that I'll call myself just the Guardian of Vulcan. In my eyes I lost my status as a Sailor Senshi when my planet blew up." Ranko told him.

"There is no need for that my child. You can still call yourself Sailor Vulcan. I'm sure with your brother's help you could reform my body." Said a soft female voice, surprising the two Saotomes.

Both of them spun around to see a young woman standing there. She was tall, maybe 6'2", pale skin and long dark hair that ended around her lower back. She stood there wearing black leather armor and had a katana on her hip. She smiled softly at the two and nodded to them.

"Lady Vulcan, is that you?" Ranko asked fearfully.

"Yes it is my dear defender." She replied.

Ranko prostrated herself before the essence of her home planet. "I'm ready to receive whatever punishment that you deem necessary to give this one for failing you in your time of need." Ranko said as she kept her position on the ground.

Ranma and Vulcan stared at her. Ranma in fear and worry that he would loose the one that he had come to call sister in his heart, mind and soul. Vulcan looked on with a cross between amusement and sadness.

"Get up Ranko Saotome, Sailor Vulcan, and face me as you receive your punishment." Lady Vulcan said formally. Ranma quickly looked at Vulcan, opening his mouth to say something to hopefully keep his sister from being punished too harshly only to see Vulcan put a finger on her lips and winking at him. -Don't worry Ranma, I'm not going to hurt her, just give her a new task besides reforming my body. I know that you'll do your best to help her in both tasks.- Ranma blinked at hearing her voice in his head, but nodded slowly to let her know he understood.

Ranko slowly stood up and stared straight into the eyes of the one who would punish her. For a second fear ruled in her eyes before they hardened to ice cold chips, not letting any emotion show.

Vulcan sighed mentally before she spoke. "Princess Ranko, Guardian and Senshi of Vulcan, are you prepared to hear your punishment?" She asked formally.

Ranko seemed to straighten herself before she replied. "I am ready, Lady Vulcan, to receive the punishment that I deserve." She replied just as formally.

"Then as your Planet I hereby give you the following punishment. That you shall continue to be my Senshi with the task of assisting the one known as Sanders David in his quest. You shall also have the following tasks. To defend the weak from the powers of evil, to reunite yourself with the other Senshi and guide them away from this Crystal Tokyo that Sailor Pluto has dreamed up, to settle down with someone that you love as your mate, and with the help of your brother, Sailor Saturn and the Princess Serenity, reform my body so that people may once more live on its surface, and finally to assist the other Senshi in reclaiming their planets from the near death state that they are currently in. This is your punishment. When all this has been done, you shall have my full forgiveness and all crimes shall be forgotten." Lady Vulcan told her.

Ranko's jaw dropped to the ground in shock at what she was told, as she had been expecting to hear that she would be stripped of her powers, instead of not only keeping them, but given the task of effectively reviving the Moon Kingdom again. "M..m...my Lady?" She asked in a stunned voice.

Vulcan smiled at her softly as she came up and gave Ranko a loving hug, like a mother would her child. "Truely I blame you not for what happened to me. You drowned in that spring before my body was destroyed. You have suffered enough my child, this punishment is to give you a new purpose. Go forth and make me proud to call you my Senshi once more. Always remember that I'll be watching you and I'll visit from time to time. Take care of yourself and your brother. You'll need to guide him into his new powers as at his suggestion, I've appointed him as the Vulcan Knight." She said to Ranko soflty.

Ranko just burst into tears and buried her head into Vulcans chest, her emotions running rampant after being pulled from one end of the spectrum to the other. As she slowly started to calm down and her sobbing trickled off to the point where she could talk, she looked up at her Lady and smiled sadly.

"It shall be as you wish my Lady. Thank you for having faith in me." Ranko said to her.

Vulcan just smiled and kissed her softly on the forehead before she stepped back and waved goodbye before she disappeared. Ranko looked over at Ranma and smiled softly, while Ranma looked at her with a worried expression.

"I'm okay bro. Looks like I get to train you in how to use the new powers that Our Lady gave you. She liked your idea about you being the Vulcan Knight, so you are now." She told him.

Ranma blinked for a second before he smiled at her. "Heh, well as long as the uniform isn't one of those fukus I'm okay with that. I don't think I could stand wearing one of those things." He said with a chuckle.

Ranko joined him, laughing at the mental picture of Ranma in a fuku. Suddenly both of them started to fade slightly. Ranma and Ranko looked at each other in shock, both of them concerned about what was happening.

"What the hell?" Ranma exclaimed as his sister faded faster than him.

"I think I'm waking up Ranma. Guess we'll talk later then." She said as she waved farewell before she disappeared. Ranma followed her a few seconds later.

-  
The Waking World -----------------------------------------------------------

David sat next to his friend and watched as she dreamed. 'Come on you two. Pull through this.' He thought as he gazed at his friend. It had been twenty minutes since Ranko had collapsed and David was starting to get worried. He had felt an emense presence earlier, one that he couldn't identify, and that worried him.

As he sat there thinking Ranko groaned and slowly opened her eyes. "David-kun? What happened? My head hurts like you wouldn't believe." she said softly.

"You screamed and when I came into the room I found you passed out with that sword in your hand. You wouldn't let go of it for anything. I made you as comfortable as I could and have sat next to you for the past twenty minutes. Also what was that emense presence that I felt not to long ago?" David said to her.

Ranko slowly shook her head to clear away the mental cobwebs before she looked down at her new sword. When she had gotten a good look at it she smiled happily. She then slowly sheathed the weapon and turned to faced her friend and commander. "That presence that you sensed was an old friend of mine checking in to see how I am. I've got some things that I would like to discuss with you David, but not here. Do you think that we could get going to the Tendo home. I'd like to continue with our plan." She replied.

David looked at her worriedly, but nodded. "Sure, we can get going now. By the way what kind of sword is that? Its similar to my Tan'chi, but with slightly more of a curve to its blade." He said as he helped her stand up.

Ranko smiled at her friend as she carefully stood up. She reached into the chest behind her and pulled out the silk wrapping for her katana and carefully wrapped her katana before slinging it over her shoulder. "It's the blade of my people. I'll tell you more about them at a later time, but the blades of my people were called katanas. They have a pair of blades called wakazashi and tanto. The wakazashi being shorter than the katana, almost half its length, and the tanto is the dagger to complete the set. Only someone of a noble line or someone who has been granted nobility are allowed to carry all three. Usually people only carry a katana, if they carry a blade at all. The tanto is used for ritual suicide to atone for the dishonor that you have caused your family or youself." Ranko told him as gave herself one last check to make sure that everything was in order.

Together the two friends left the shop after saying goodbye to the owner. 


End file.
